


Bottled Dreams

by raidelle



Category: Final Fantasy XV
Genre: Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Alternate Universe - Everyone Lives/Nobody Dies, Alternate Universe - Modern Setting, F/M, FFXV Characters Make Guest Appearances, M/M, Mostly Gladio/Naja, Naja Ulric, Non-Explicit Sex, Nyx has a Different Sister, Ratings Will Go Up in Later Chapters Maybe, With IgNyx in the Background
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-03-26
Updated: 2018-06-26
Packaged: 2019-04-08 05:44:43
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 16
Words: 22,896
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/14098533
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/raidelle/pseuds/raidelle
Summary: He is a fledgling business man. She is an ex-soldier.This is a story of boy meets girl, the sparks between them, and how they inevitably came to be together.





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> This is my first foray writing fan fiction for any fandom, so please be patient with me. And I do know that original characters are an acquired taste, so I hope you'll give Naja a chance.
> 
> Naja literally means "little sister to a brother" or "a boy's little sister" although it can also mean "faithful," "rescue," "strong/strength" depending on the origins.
> 
> You can also find this story on [my Tumblr](https://raidelle.tumblr.com). I'm opening requests/asks there soon. (I just need to figure everything out since I'm also new there. Hahaha.) Again, please be patient with me.

If you’re going by how hard the blows were landing on the punching bag, it was fair to say that Gladiolus Amicitia was pissed off.  


He used to scoff at the idea of him running his own business. He coasted through high school through a combination of quick wits and some patient tutoring by his best friend (thank the Six for Ignis Scientia) and wasn’t even considering going to college; he’d wanted to sign up with the Guard. However, Clarus Amicitia had insisted that his son get a college degree. And when Clarus Amicitia insisted upon something, he usually got his way.  


Long story short, Gladiolus Amicitia now held a major in business (and beer) and now managed his own gastro bar and craft brewery that he’d christened Bottled Dreams. (His younger sister Iris had both laughed at and praised the name. “You’re such a big baby sometimes,” she’d giggled.)  


It was Bottled Dreams that was the source of his annoyance tonight. It hasn’t been long yet since he’d opened – just thirteen weeks, actually – but he feels like he’s already choking (“Stop being so dramatic, Gladdy,” Iris had huffed at him) on everything that it demanded from him. And damn it, he didn’t think it was going to be this difficult. Gladio wanted it to do well. It’s… well, Bottled Dreams is his baby.  


“Give it time,” Ignis told him just an hour ago. “Not every endeavor is successful in the beginning.”  


“Easy for you to say,” Gladio grumbled. “Insomnians practically refuse to drink coffee that isn’t Ebony.”  


Ignis had raised a fine eyebrow at that.  


“Okay, okay,” Gladio relented. “It’s just…”  


“If you must know, I rather felt the same way when I opened Ebony.” Ignis peered at him over the top of his glasses. “I even had a nightmare where every customer demanded that I pour cream and sugar on everything.”  


Ignis, who drank his coffee as black as it could be brewed, would indeed find that terrifying. Gladio snorted. “I know it takes time, but… Shiva’s tits, Iggy, I wasn’t expecting all of this, and I just can’t let it all go!”  


“So don’t,” Ignis said simply. Then he looked at his watch and added, “I have to go. I need to -”  


“Yeah, check up on the shop and everything,” Gladio said with a sigh. “Thanks for your time, Iggy. ‘Preciate it. And say hi to Nyx for me.”  


“Of course.” Ignis quirked his lips into a small smile. “You’ll be fine, Gladio.”  


Gladio didn’t really think so, not in his current state of mind. So he gulped down the last of his coffee and took the short walk toward his gym, where he now pummeled the punching bag to vent his frustrations. It wasn’t working so far.  


He glanced at the clock. 8 PM. “Fuck,” he hissed. He’d been at it for almost an hour now but he still isn’t anywhere near catharsis.  


Gladio looked around the gym. At the rate he’s going, he’ll probably run the punching bag through before his mood improves and his mind clears. He needed to spar. But apart from a couple of giggling coeds running on the treadmills, there seemed to be –  


“Huh,” Gladio’s eyes fell on a woman on the other end of the row of punching bags. He hadn’t noticed her come in, but judging by the sweat soaking her oversized gray shirt and practically plastering her short hair onto her scalp and forehead, it looks like she’s been here for almost as long he has. She had great form, he had to admit, and packed power into her punches. She landed a particularly fierce blow and he could have sworn some sand hissed out of the bag. Nice.  


“Hey there,” Gladio said, retying his hair up in a bun as he approached. “l was wondering if maybe we could spar for a bit?”  


She didn’t say anything. Maybe she had earphones on? Or maybe she one of those single-minded people who zone out the world when they’re focused on something?  


“Uh, miss?” Gladio said tentatively, placing a gentle hand on her shoulder.  


He was expecting some strength; that punching bag was taking a serious beating, after all. What he wasn’t expecting was for her to flinch ever so slightly, then grab his wrist quickly and put it down with such force that he felt his hand bounce. Then she stepped forward and swiftly thrust a fist to his neck, stopping at the right moment to prevent hitting him.  


Gladio raised his hands in surrender. “Sorry,” he said. His Adam’s apple bobbed and if her fist were a knife, it would have nicked his neck. “I didn’t want to startle you or anything. I was just wondering if you’d be willing to spar for a bit?”  


She looked at him something fierce, still keeping her fist at his throat. After a few heartbeats, she relented with a slight nod. “Okay. And sorry about –”  


“That’s fine,” he cut her off. “I’m Gladio, by the way,” he said casually as they walked toward the ring.  


She arched an eyebrow. “Naja.”  


*****

They ended up sparring for a good thirty minutes. To be honest, Gladio felt like Naja was toying with him, even if he towered over her by almost a foot and perhaps outweighed her by more than a hundred pounds. He kept his body in good shape and he’d like to think that he wasn’t just buff but also strong, but her small, lithe frame belied the power behind it. He wondered what she did to achieve that amount of focus and strength.  


Cursing under his breath, he turned off the shower, dressed quickly, grabbed his duffel, and sprinted out into the main workout area of the gym.  


Naja wasn’t there.  


“Hey Crowe,” he said to the evening manager. She was a regular at both Bottled Dreams and Ebony, and Gladio hoped they knew each other well enough that she’d be willing to help. “You know anything about that girl I was sparring with?”  


Crowe smiled knowingly. “Why?”  


When Gladio just stared at her, Crowe said, “No. It’s her first time here. Didn’t have a card but she said she just wanted to punch a bag for a couple of hours, so what the hell, right?”  


“So… nothing?”  


“Nope. Sorry.”  


At least he has a name, he thought, staring out of the glass doors of the gym.  


So much for clearing his head.  


  



	2. Chapter 2

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Nyx is pleasantly surprised by the arrival of his baby sister.
> 
> Gladio and Naja "officially" meet. Their eyes meet and sparks fly, although Ignis is the only one to notice.

If there was one thing that Nyx Ulric was, it was punctual. It doesn’t matter if he was drunk as all get out the other night or that traffic is bad in his side of town. If he says he’ll be there at eight in the morning sharp, he’ll be there. Maybe even earlier.  


Knowing this, and after stalking Nyx’s occasional social media uploads, Naja approached Ebony for their inevitable meeting. With a deep sigh and a shrug, she pushed the door open.  


The blessed smell of freshly brewed coffee greeted her – that and a cheerful blonde, blue-eyed young man.  


“Good morning and welcome to Ebony!” he chirped, flashing his ridiculously white and even teeth. “What can I get you?”  


Naja found herself smiling along. “Just your house blend coffee please.”  


“Do you want a cookie with that? Or maybe a breakfast sandwich?”  


“Just the coffee.” Naja said.  


“Cake? Bagel?” he wheedled. “Croissant? The owner’s a really good cook and he’s hands-on in the kitchen.”  


Naja grinned and glanced at the man’s name plate. “I’m sure he is. But I’m fine with just the coffee, Prompto.”  


Prompto’s smile deflated a bit, but perked up immediately when Naja said, “Maybe I’ll get a cookie next time.”  


“I’ll hold you to that,” he said with a megawatt grin. “Your name please?”  


“Naja.”  


At that, Prompto peered more closely at her face. “You look really familiar. Have we met before?”  


Naja heard the way his voice italicized the “really.” She gave a slight smile and said, “Not likely.”  


“Huh.” Prompto looked skeptical but shrugged after a few more seconds of studying her face. “Well, I’ll have that coffee ready in a few, Naja. Have a seat somewhere and I’ll holler when it’s good.”  


Naja sat at a table near the counter, watching the frosted glass door lettered with “Staff Only” just behind it. She pulled out her phone and fired a quick text.  


   


_ 8:05 am. Naja: You’re supposed to be in Ebony by now but I can’t see your ugly face anywhere. _

_ 8:06 am. Nyx: ur kidding, right? _

_ 8:09 am. Naja: About your ugly face? No. _

_ 8:10 am. Nyx: haha. r u kidding? _

_ 8:11 am. Naja: Prompto is fixing my coffee as we speak. _

  


Seconds later, the door she’d been watching swung open almost violently. She grinned.  


“Coffee for -” Prompto began.  


“Naj!” Nyx practically yelled, drawing the eyes of the rest of the cafe. “You didn’t tell me you were coming home!”  


“Well, I’m here now,” Naja said simply, but her smile was genuine.  


Nyx pulled her up from her seat, shook her slightly, and then proceeded to envelope her in a bear hug. “God, I missed you.” His voice was thick, as if he was going to cry.  


“Uh, coffee for Naja?” Prompto said meekly in the background.  


Nyx laughed and shook off the tears. “Just put it here, Prom,” he said. “This is -”  


“Naja, I know.”  


“Yes. She’s -”  


“Nyx Ulric, what did I say about yelling in Ebony?” said a new voice. A tall, beautiful man with ash brown hair and green eyes emerged from the back. He was wearing a white apron that said “That’s It!” in big black letters.  


“Iggy!” Nyx called with an enthusiastic wave and an unrepentant grin. “Naj is home!”  


Ignis Scientia smiled indulgently at his boyfriend. “I noticed.” Then he turned to Naja. “Welcome home. It’s wonderful to finally meet you in person.”  


Naja mirrored Nyx’s smile. “Same here. Gotta take care of this one, Nyx. He’s so pretty. The video calls don’t do him justice!” She took a sip of the coffee that Prompto – who was back behind the counter and was now studying the exchange through slightly narrowed eyes – placed on her table just moments ago. “Hmmm… and brews some excellent coffee, too. Wherever did you find this man?”  


Ignis smiled conspiratorially at Naja. “Oh I like her, Nyx.”  


“Ugh,” Nyx groaned. “I knew this was going to happen. I just didn’t expect it to be this soon.”  


“Deal with it,” Naja said happily in a sing-song voice.  


“As long as you’re back for good,” Nyx said, grabbing Naja into a hug once more. “Hey Prom. Give everyone a doughnut will you? On the house.”  


Ignis raised an eyebrow. Prompto did, too.  


“Iggy?” Prompto looked at the taller man in confirmation. Ignis only nodded.  


Just then, the bells hanging by the door tinkled, welcoming another guest into the cafe.  


“Oh hey, Gladio, good timing. Have a doughnut!” Nyx told the newcomer, who looked like he had just finished his morning run.  


Gladio put his hands on his waist and cocked a hip. “I’d probably need to run a couple more miles to burn that off but I can’t say no to Ebony doughnuts,” he said amicably. “What’s the occasion?”  


“My baby sister’s home!” Nyx pulled Naja closer to his side. “Naj, this is Gladio. Gladio, Naja Ulric, captain of the Glaive’s second unit.”  


Blue eyes met amber ones in a charged gaze that only Ignis seemed to notice.  


“Retired,” Naja clarified and extended a hand. “Pleased to meet you, Gladio.”  


“Likewise,” Gladio said with a lopsided grin as he took the proffered hand and held it quite a bit longer than necessary.  


Their eyes held, the tension building.  


Until Prompto broke it with a stage-whispered “Sister! That’s why she looked familiar!” He shook his head and continued handing out doughnuts to the morning regulars. “And Glaive captain!” he added in awe.  


Naja Ulric only smiled. She wasn’t really planning to come home so soon but, just like her brother, it looks like she was right on time.  


  


**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I think I should add here that in this universe, the (Crowns)Guard is Insomnia's local law enforcement while the (Kings)Glaive is the military. :)
> 
> I'm also on [Tumblr](https://raidelle.tumblr.com)!


	3. Chapter 3

Ignis Scientia is a perceptive man. He prided himself in being able to accurately read people and situations; definitely a valuable asset as the proprietor of Ebony -- Nyx handled most day-to-day operations, but all the professional business side of things fell onto Ignis’s shoulders. The skill also allowed him to avoid awkward conversations (though he also prided himself in being an excellent conversationalist, thank you very much) and, more importantly, broach sensitive topics.  


The siblings spent the entire day at Ebony, catching up and basking in each other’s presence. Ignis, who was loathe to interrupt and was rather entranced by the look in Nyx’s face as he gazed at his sister, was in peak restaurateur form. Meals were served, drinks were poured, and the siblings hardly needed for anything.  


But now it was Ignis who needed something. Considering the topic, he’d call what he needed “target intel.”  


“I hope you aren’t too tired from your trip, Naja,” he said, glancing at Nyx’s sister on the rear view mirror. “I’ve yet to fix the guest room, as you caught us by surprise, so you’ll have to endure me puttering around for a little while before you can settle down for the night.”  


Naja gave a fleeting look at the headrest of the front seat before answering, “I’m not yet tired anyway. I slept well enough in the Leville last night.”  


Nyx turned his head so quickly, they heard his neck crick. “The Leville? Last night? You arrived last night?” he said, sounding betrayed.  


Naja sighed. “We docked in Galdin yesterday noon. Hitched a ride to Hammerhead from there, then called a cab for the rest of the way. I think I got here by four in the afternoon.”  


“Naj,” Nyx said in his patented guilt-trip voice. “I could've picked you up and seen you sooner.”  


“I can take care of myself, Nyx,” Naja said on another sigh. “Glaive captain, remember?” Ignis thought she sounded resigned at the mention of her rank. “And I wanted to surprise you.”  


Nyx shook his head and switched topics, perhaps for his peace of mind. “So what did you do the rest of the day yesterday?”  


“Nothing much. Walked around a bit, just sightseeing. I actually thought about dropping by Ebony but then I decided on the surprise. Totally worth it,” Naja huffed a small laugh at that. “Then I went to the gym for a couple of hours, had dinner, then went to sleep,” she ended in a shrug.  


“Two hours in the gym after you just got back? That’s typical,” Nyx snorted.  


Naja just gave another shrug and said, “I wanted to punch something without getting charged with gross misdemeanor. I think I broke one of their bags but at least I got to spar a bit.”  


Ignis smiled at that. “And who, pray tell, agreed to be your human punching bag?”  


Naja glanced suspiciously at Ignis before saying, “It was Gladio, actually.”  


“Beg pardon?” Nyx choked. “You sparred with Gladiolus Amicitia?”  


“If that’s the same guy who walked in just in time for the free doughnuts this morning, then yeah.” Naja lifted her shoulders in yet another shrug. “Why?”  


Nyx spluttered; Ignis took pity on him and said, “Your brother is being prematurely jealous and a primitive idiot.”  


“Babe, that’s not --”  


Ignis raised his eyebrows at his boyfriend as if to say, “Am I wrong?”  


“You’re always going to be my baby sister, Naj,” Nyx said with a pout.  


“I’m not marrying him, Nyx, what the hell? We just sparred.”  


“I wouldn’t sound so sure,” Ignis said with a slightly devious smile.  


“You’re not making me feel any better, babe,” Nyx grumbled.  


“That wasn’t my intention, you realize?” Ignis laughed and drove on home.  


*****

“So,” Nyx said, settling himself down on the guest room bed. “Not that I don’t want you back here with me, because you know I do, but are you going to tell me the real reason why you’re back six months ahead of schedule? Or is it something you don’t want to talk about just yet?”  


Naja looked up from where she was placing the last of her clothes in the dresser. She pushed it closed with her hip and stayed on that position, as if for support, then looked at her brother with sad eyes. “I just feel like I’m giving too much of myself for something that I...” She sighed and wrapped her arms around herself.  


Nyx held her gaze for a second longer before opening his arms. “C’mere.”  


Naja lay down beside her brother and snuggled close. “I knew you were excited about my promotion.”  


“Hell yeah. Youngest captain in the history of the Glaives, right?”  


“Hmm,” she murmured noncommittally. “It wasn’t exactly unwelcome, you know, but I just…” Naja trailed off on a sigh. “I hope you’re still proud of me.” She mumbled into his shoulder.  


“Hey, hey, hey, none of that.” Nyx rubbed her arms and kissed her hair. “Naj, I will never not be proud of you. I know you wouldn’t have left without a good reason.”  


“Thank you,” Naja said, her voice still muffled by her brother’s shoulder. “There’s going to be a ceremony, though, you can pin a medal on me and everything.”  


Nyx laughed. “Of course. Just tell me when and I’ll be there.”  


And for a long while, brother and sister stayed wrapped up in each other in warm, comfortable silence. Finally Naja whispered, “Will Ignis be mad if you stay here tonight?” she peered up sleepily at Nyx.  


“‘Course not,” he kissed her hair again. “Go on, get some rest.”  


“Okay. Thank you.”  


“Love you, too, Naj.”

*****

Ignis smiled at the sweet scene that the siblings made the following morning. He’d gotten used to waking up wrapped in Nyx’s arms, but if this was what he got in return… well, he can probably get used to this, too, if he were being honest.  


Still smiling, he gently closed the door and set about to preparing a pot of coffee and a homecoming breakfast.

  


**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Naja doesn't have PTSD. Maybe some personal issues with her decisions during her time with the Glaives, but no more than that. I don't want to misrepresent PTSD or any other health condition. She does, however, have a mild case of hero worship for Nyx. They are orphans in this story and Nyx practically raised Naja on his own.
> 
> Follow me on [Tumblr](https://raidelle.tumblr.com)! :)


	4. Chapter 4

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Gladio and Naja meet again. Nyx's presence complicates things just a tiny little bit.

A bead of sweat ran from Naja’s temples, down her cheek, and into the collar of her ceremonial Glaive uniform. She’d never understood why these things were always held at high noon.

Perhaps the powers that be thought it would be easier to hide the truth behind pomp and pageantry, underneath a blindingly bright sun.

Naja wanted to shake her head at General Drautos, who was droning about bravery and sacrifice and patriotism and who knew what else. Sure, maybe underneath it all, there were those things. But at the time, in the field, it wasn’t that fancy. It was just about doing your job and hoping like hell your decisions didn’t cost soldiers their lives, even as you moved heaven and raised hell to stay alive yourself.

“And finally, Captain Naja Ulric, who bravely and graciously took the mantle despite less than ideal circumstances,” she heard the general say. There was a buzzing her ears. If the son of a bitch told her story, what he knew of it anyway, on live television for Insomnia to hear…

As if sensing her thoughts, the general spared a quick glance at Naja before continuing. “It is because of her actions that the entire second unit of the Glaive is home with us today. And for that, we honor her.”

Fuck decorum and protocol. Naja tilted her head up, took a deep breath, and let a tear fall.

*****

“Finally,” Naja sighed as she slid into the backseat of Ignis’s car. She immediately removed the heavy black coat, leaving her in a dark gray Glaive shirt, and the uniform’s black pants and buckled boots. “I hate stuffing myself into these.” She tilted her head back and closed her eyes for a few seconds.

“It looks good on you though. You look like a total badass,” Nyx told her. “If a bit short.” He added with a wink, and Naja – who was indeed considerably shorter at five-foot-five compared to her six-foot-two brother – stuck out her tongue at him.

Nyx laughed. “Yep. That’s Insomnia’s most elite soldier right there.”

“Where to?” Ignis asked from the driver’s seat. “Daresay we go home and cook a late lunch or would you rather take advantage of the good weather?”

“I just want a drink. Astrals know how much I miss a good beer,” Naja said, pinching the bridge of her nose.

Ignis looked sideways at Nyx before saying, “I know just the place.”

*****

Ignis took them to Bottled Dreams.

“Really, babe?” Nyx said dryly. Ignis gave a small chuckle in reply.

“Why, what’s wrong with it? I doubt Iggy’s going to bring us somewhere that serves bad food,” Naja looked at her brother curiously.

Ignis nodded. “Indeed. And the beer is excellent. I know both the chef and the brewer personally,” he added.

“Oh good. If it’s got your seal of approval, I’m definitely okay here.” Having been treated to Ignis’s home-cooked meals for nearly two weeks now, Naja would like to believe she’s acquired a more discerning palate.

Nyx just shook his head with a rueful smile.

*****

“Hello Luna. Is our usual table open?” Ignis said by way of greeting to the maître d’.

Naja blinked at the young woman. She was – there was no other word for it – luminous. Her pale blond hair, blue eyes, and fair skin matched her dress perfectly, which was made from some material that shimmered like mother-of-pearl.

“Hi Ignis, Nyx,” Luna greeted back with a bright smile. “And to you, too, miss?” She left an opening for an introduction.

“Naja. I’m the sister,” she grinned and pointed her thumb at Nyx.

“Oh, pleased to meet you, Naja! Nyx has told us so much about you. All good things of course.” Luna said pleasantly as she led them to their table.

“Well, that’s a relief,” Naja said, elbowing Nyx. “I hope you didn’t exaggerate anything.”

Her brother just winked playfully.

Once they were settled, a pretty and curvaceous server named Cindy smoothly took over from Luna. After reciting the day’s specials and taking their food and drink orders, Cindy patted Ignis’s shoulder and said, “I’ll tell the boss man you’re here, darlin’.”

“Of course. Thank you Cindy.”

Naja waited until Cindy was out of earshot before turning to Ignis, “The boss man is the chef and brewer you mentioned earlier?”

“The chef was a classmate of mine in culinary school and is now good friend. Aranea Highwind. The brewer, I’ve known since childhood. He is the ‘boss man,’ as Cindy put it.”

Just then, a deep rumbling voice sounded from behind Naja. “That would be me.”

Ignis stood up to greet the newcomer in a loose embrace. “Gladio,” he said simply.

“Hey Iggy,” he clapped Ignis lightly on the back. “Hey Nyx.” That one came with a nod.

“Hey,” Nyx said and nodded back, watching Gladio closely as the latter turned to Naja.

“I meant to say this before when we met at Ebony a couple weeks ago, Naja, but you were really amazing that night.”

Nyx raised an eyebrow and Ignis let out an undignified snort. He tried to pass it off as cough but he failed dismally.

Gladio took a few seconds before he realized how the statement sounded. He cleared his throat before following up with, “I meant when you took me down. On the floor. When we sparred. At the gym.” He cleared his throat again. “And now I know why.“

Naja looked at Gladio with a curious intensity before saying, “We should do it again.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'm not sure how often I can update, but I sure as hell will try for a once-a-week schedule. Do note that I don't have a beta reader, so all mistakes are mine. Stick around, please, and let me know what you think.
> 
> Follow me on [Tumblr](https://raidelle.tumblr.com)! :)


	5. Chapter 5

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Naja goes for a night run and meets a certain someone's sister.

“Hey Nyx. Mind if I borrow your keys for a while? I’m heading out,” Naja said as she peeked into Ignis and Nyx’s room.

Nyx was propped against the headboard, reading a book about, of all things, the history of Tenebraean tea brewing. He looked up at Naja and raised an eyebrow at her state of dress: yoga pants, Glaive sweatshirt, and running shoes. “It’s past ten, Naj. Everything okay? I can go out if you need anything.”

“Nah, I’m all good,” she said. “Feeling a little restless, though, so I thought I’d go run for a while,” she shrugged, pushing her hands into the sweatshirt’s pockets. “I’m not sure how long I’ll be and I don’t want to wake you or Iggy up just in case.”

“Alright, come on then. I’ll see you out.” Nyx said. He marked his book and padded toward her.

“Honestly, Nyx!”

“Please, Naj.”

Naja huffed. “Tch. Fine.”

At the door, Nyx handed Naja his keys and said, “Be careful, okay?”

Naja kissed his cheek. “‘Course I will. Now go make some passionate love with your handsome boyfriend while I’m gone!” She winked.

Nyx winked back, and said, with a playful bow and a fist over his heart, “Yes, ma'am!”

*****

Heaving a deep sigh, Naja sat down on one of the black-and-gold benches at the Citadel Square. She closed her eyes and leaned back, letting her thoughts wander.

Ignis and Nyx were being more than generous, letting her stay with them indefinitely and practically for free, which is all well and good for her meager savings. But she’s been home for almost a month now and she wanted – no, needed – to find a place of her own. And it’s not just because she felt like she was intruding in their privacy (and *ahem* romance) and taking advantage of their kindness.

No. For seven years now, from the time she signed up with Glaives at eighteen, all the consequences of her choices affected her and her alone. Whenever she made tactical decisions, the safety of her unit was her priority. It had led her to settle for several morally questionable options, which sometimes led to life-threatening scenarios, which then led to long-winded arguments both with her superiors and subordinates. She didn’t regret those choices. Not when her unit was intact, down to the last man, to the very end. She hoped she could say the same for her soul.

Naja shook her head before she got too morbidly introspective. She just had to have some semblance of control back, and moving out seemed like the best way to start. And to do that, she needed a job. That one was going to be a bit of a challenge, considering her skill set was focused on hand-to-hand combat, tactical maneuvers, marksmanship, and weapons training.

Let’s think about that tomorrow, she thought. She looked at her watch and grinned. Quarter to midnight. She hoped it was enough time for Ignis and Nyx. Or maybe she’ll get a drink somewhere first and give them a few more minutes.

*****

Naja ended up dropping by a 24-hour mini grocery store to pick up a couple of bottles of beer and some vanilla ice cream. She was just putting the ice cream tub in her shopping basket when she spied a bit of commotion near the register.

“Hi,” a young man who looked about eighteen said to the girl in front of him in the line.

The girl turned slightly and gave a polite “Hi,” in return.

“I’m Aevan.”

The girl didn’t reply.

“You wanna hang out?”

Naja waited for the scene to play out. “No, thank you,” she heard the girl say.

“C'mon. I don’t bite,” Aevan persisted. “Not unless you want me to,” he added with a leer.

“No, thank you,” the girl replied coldly. Naja was impressed. Even she couldn’t inject that much ice to her voice.

Aevan tried to grab the girl’s wrist and said, “What’s your name? C'mon, let’s hang out.”

The girl pulled her hand back just in time. “No!” she hissed.

Aevan made to grab for the girl again. “We’re gonna have a good time, I –”

Naja stepped in. “I believe the lady already said no. Three times, per my last count.”

Aevan and the girl turned to look at her at the same time. The cashier was observing warily.

“Stay out of it!” Aevan snarled, while the girl shot Naja a grateful look.

“I will if you stay out of her business,” Naja said.

Aevan fumed and stepped out of the line to confront Naja. “You her sister? Her friend? Her girlfriend?” The last word was said with disdain.

“No one in particular,” Naja shrugged.

“Then shut up!”

“I will if you do.”

Aevan snapped and moved to punch Naja, but she caught his wrist and gripped it tight enough to make him wince. “You asked. She said no. You should’ve left it at that.”

“Bitch!”

With her free hand, Naja threw a quick punch to Aevan’s nose and he howled. “Bitch!” he said again.

“You want a broken wrist with that?” She nodded to his face. “Call me a bitch one more time.”

Aevan pulled his arm back, staring at Naja in horror. Naja let him go and he stormed out without buying anything.

The girl blew a huge, relieved sigh that ruffled her dark brown bangs. “Thank you.”

“You’re welcome.” Naja replied. “You okay?”

“Uh. I think so.”

“Want me to call the Guard?”

“Oh no, no. No need for that. I just… I’m gonna call my brother to come pick me up.”

Naja lifted her basket and said, “I’m just going to pay for these and then we’ll call him and wait outside, yeah?”

The cashier just placed Naja’s purchases in a bag and waved off her gil. “Go on. It’s on me.”

“Oh. Well, thanks.”

“No. Thank you,” the cashier said.

*****

Naja caught the tail-end of the girl’s conversation with the aforementioned brother as she stepped out. “Hurry so her ice cream won’t melt, okay? Bye.”

Naja laughed. “That’s fine. No need to worry about the ice cream.”

The girl let out another sigh, softer this time. “It’s the least I can do. My name’s Iris, by the way.” She offerred a tentative smile and a hand to shake.

Naja took it and gave it a firm grasp. “Nice meeting you Iris. But may I ask what you were doing out so late?”

Iris smiled sheepishly. “My roommate and I are studying for a major exam tomorrow and I volunteered to get some reinforcements,” she said. “Which I totally forgot! Oh no. Give me five minutes!”

Iris dashed back to the store. Naja could see her looking for the junk-food-filled shopping basket that she’d left behind. Thankfully, the cashier had it stowed under the counter; she caught Iris’s attention, then promptly bagged the snacks and drinks before waving off the payment, too.

She was paying such close attention to Iris that Naja barely noticed the black pick-up that had rolled to a stop in front of the store. “Naja?”

“Gladio?” No shit, Naja thought. “You’re Iris’s brother?”

“Gladdy!” Iris said as she shouldered the glass door open. “Just in time.”

“You’re Iris’s ‘savior,’ then?” Gladio said to Naja, sounding curious, thankful, and amazed all at the same time.

Naja shook her head. “I wouldn’t go that far.”

“Her words, not mine.” Gladio shrugged then added, “Hop in.”

Naja raised her eyebrows. “Beg pardon?”

“I’m gonna drop Iris off, then I’m bringing you to Iggy’s. You’re staying with them, right?”

“Yeah, but I’m just gonna walk back. I’m fine.”

“C'mon. Indulge me.”

“Really, Gladio. I’m okay.”

“Please.”

Iris, who had already settled in the backseat, looked at her with puppy eyes. “Please, Naja. It’s the least I can do,” she repeated.

“I really –”

Gladio cut her off with “Your ice cream’s gonna melt,” and Iris grinned.

“Fine,” Naja huffed.

Gladio just smiled.

*****

“Mind telling me what happened? Iris just said she ran into a bit of trouble and that there was, and I quote, 'a badass savior in a sweatshirt’.” Gladio looked at Naja in polite inquiry before turning his attention back to the road.

After walking his sister to the entrance of her apartment building and making her promise not to go on late-night junk food runs ever again, Gladio was now making the short drive back to Ignis’s place. He kind of wished it was a little further away. Naja was… captivating.

“It was nothing. Just some guy being creepy. She’d already said no but he kept pushing, so I broke his nose.” Naja gave him a quick glance then turned back to gaze out of the windshield.

“That’s not 'nothing’ in my book.” Gladio chanced a glance at her again. “So thank you.”

“It was nothing,” she said again. “But you’re welcome.”

Gladio was silent, contemplating what to say next, when Naja said, “Are you and Iris close?”

Thankful for the opening, Gladio replied immediately. “Kind of. We’re eight years apart and at first glance, you can already tell we almost have nothing in common. But I’d do a lot, everything really, for Iris. When Dad placed her in my arms literally just minutes after she was born, I felt… I dunno. I felt amazed that Dad was trusting me enough to hold this tiny, helpless little thing and it just, you know. Struck me that I’m a big brother now. I wanted to be her hero.”

“That’s nice.” Naja said simply, although her eyes had a happy glimmer in them.

Gladio cleared his throat. “Are you the same with Nyx?”

“Hmm,” Naja hummed. “Nyx practically raised me all by himself. Our parents died when he was ten and I was barely five, so for a long time, it was just him and me,” she began. “He just took in stride, you know? Being my brother and guardian. We probably went through all the foster homes in Galahd because someone was always getting in his nerves. Usually someone who was hitting me or hitting on me,” she laughed. “We got out when I was sixteen. Then I signed up with the Glaives two years later. I wanted to make him proud, but I also wanted to be strong so he didn’t have to worry too much about me anymore.” She laughed again and shook her head. “But I guess you can’t take that away from big brothers, huh?” She angled her head toward him and gave him a soft smile.

“I don’t think so,” Gladio smiled back.

When Gladio pulled in front of Ignis’s elegant townhouse only a few minutes later, he sighed as if in regret. He really wanted that car ride to last just a bit longer. He shook his head and got out of the car to open Naja’s door. “Thanks for helping Iris. And thanks for letting me bring you home.”

“You really don’t have to thank me for both of those things, but okay,” she smiled at him again. “Good night, Gladio.”

“Do you want to go out with me sometime?” he blurted all of a sudden, making Naja turn back on her way up the front stairs.

She raised her eyebrows at him in a silent request for more details.

“I really want to get to know you more. We can talk over a couple of beers, yeah? I brew a mean pale ale.”

“Tempting. Is that the same one you served me a week ago?”

Gladio grinned. “Why don’t you say yes and find out?”

She laughed and Gladio couldn’t get enough. “Oh that’s a good one,” she said. “On one condition, though.”

“Name your price.”

“We go for another round in the ring.”

Gladio didn’t hesitate, even if she’d managed to bruise his rib the last time. “Deal.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Early update! Got a break from taking care of my one-year-old so I took advantage of the extra time. I may have let this chapter run away for a bit though. (Also, the entire story is un-beta'd. Please forgive any errors.)
> 
> I also took some liberties with adjusting their ages, to suit the story better. For guidance:
> 
> Nyx = 30, Naja = 25, Gladio = 27, Iris = 19
> 
> Please let me know what you think!
> 
> Also, I'm on [Tumblr](https://raidelle.tumblr.com)! :)


	6. Chapter 6

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> A popular food critic visits Bottled Dreams and Gladio is a nervous wreck. Thankfully, a certain ex-soldier's message turns his day around. Gladio's certainly not acting like an overeager teenager. Nope.

Gladio was driving to Bottled Dreams when his phone suddenly pinged in succession. He had a quick internal debate whether or not to pull over to read the messages; it was the notification tone for the group chat that he set-up for any urgent matters concerning the business.

Within those few seconds, his phone pinged again and he decided that whatever it was, it truly needed his attention. Glancing cautiously around for any traffic officers, he quickly inputted his pass code and tapped the messaging app icon.

_I HOPE THE BOTTLE HASN’T BROKEN has (10) new notifications._

_11:54 am. DragoonLady: Get your pretty ass here ASAP big guy._

_11:54 am. LunafreyaNF: Hi Gladio, are you on your way? I just seated Ardyn Izunia at one of the VIP tables._

_11:55 am. goldengirlcindy: heya, boss man. no pressure or anythin, but he says he aint gettin anythin until you arrive._

_11:55 am. DragoonLady: Pedal to the metal, Gladio. Chop chop._

Gladio didn't need to read any more. He floored it to Bottled Dreams, even as his phone chimed with yet another succession of notifications.

*****

“Good afternoon, Mr. Izunia,” Gladio approached the esteemed writer and restaurant critic with a greeting, five and a half minutes later. “I trust that my staff has taken care of you well?” he inquired.

The man also known as the Daemon of Lucian Dining smiled politely at Gladio. “Oh indeed, indeed. The beer cheese spread that came with the bread sticks is simply superb.”

“Thank you,” Gladio said, feeling slightly relieved with the good start. “It’s one of our head chef’s most successful experiments, if I do say so myself. Shall I bring you a menu for your main course?”

“Oh, surprise me,” the red-haired man said in his mellifluous voice and impeccable accent, which sounded a bit sinister to Gladio if he were being honest.

“Of course,” Gladio said. He hoped he didn’t audibly swallow. “Do you want another serving of the spread? Perhaps some refreshments?”

“Just water, please. I’d like to cleanse my palate for the main event,” Ardyn said with a wink.

“Of course,” Gladio said again. He mentally squared his shoulders and strode into the kitchen, where Aranea was waiting.

*****

Gladio’s hands were damn near trembling as he set down the meal Aranea had prepared -- spicy long bone dualhorn rib steak, with blue cheese crumbles and sauteed Vesprooms. To complement the meal, he chose a home-brew Crown City Stout. In his nervousness, he’d thunked the bottle a bit harder than necessary, but there was nothing to be done about it now.

Ardyn gazed at the dish for a few seconds, inhaled deeply, and clapped his hands in excitement. “Oh this looks wonderful. Simply wonderful.”

“I’ll leave you to it, then,” Gladio said and winced. That was too casually gruff. He cleared his throat and tried again. “We do tend to be a little adventurous here at Bottled Dreams and this particular dish is one of those. It’s got a little bit of every region -- the peppers and dualhorns from Leide, the cheese from Duscae, and the mushrooms from Cleigne.”

“Hmmm...” Ardyn inhaled again. “I’ve been meaning to visit your quaint little gastropub here for quite some time now, truth be told. I do hope this --” he gestured to the food and beer “-- is worth the wait.”

“We hope so, too.” Gladio smiled. “Let me or my staff know if you need anything else. But for now, enjoy your meal.” That was a good closing line, wasn’t it? Gladio thought. He left for the kitchen before he could sabotage himself.

*****

Gladio waited as patiently as he could as Ardyn finished his meal and dessert (a simple Duscaean orange cake), made small talk, and finally said goodbye with a promise to post a glowing review on his website, before finally erupting into the jittery wreck he'd been since three hours ago.

"Six damnit," Gladio hissed as he watched Ardyn's car speed away from Bottled Dreams. "Was I okay, Luna? Did I sound as nervous as I thought I did? Fuck, my hands are sweating like Titan's balls on a hot day. Were they sweating when I shook his hand or did that start just now? Sweet Shiva, what the hell --"

Luna cut Gladio off with a gentle smile. "You were fine, Gladio. I won't worry too much about it, especially since Ardyn gave my brother a three point five. And believe me, he isn't as good a chef as Aranea."

"Oh yeah. I always forget that your brother has that little coffee shop in Tenebrae. He performs better in the courtroom than in the kitchen, huh?"

"Uh huh," Luna hummed. "He's quite a good baker though, which puzzles me because I think baking is a lot more difficult than cooking."

"Yeah," Gladio replied absentmindedly. "Listen. Really great job today. I'm sorry if I was a bit testy or gruff or --"

"All I did was welcome him and show him to a table, Gladio. A large part of the credit is due to you and Aranea," Luna said easily.

"Still, thank you," Gladio said. He enveloped Luna in a quick hug, which she jokingly responded to with an exaggerated "Oof" and a giggle.

"Now go on back inside, give Cindy and Aranea big hugs, too, then maybe call someone to vent." Luna giggled again when she caught Gladio's sheepish expression.

*****

“Holy fucking Astrals, Iggy. Ardyn Izunia was just here. Ardyn Izunia! What did he say to you when he went to Ebony? Did he tell you he was going to give you a ‘glowing review’? Because that’s what he said to me --”

“Gladio?”

“-- and I don’t know if that’s a good thing. What does ‘glowing’ even mean? Maybe he’ll give me a two and his article will be glowing with adjectives about how Bottled Dreams sucks --”

“Gladio.”

“-- and holy shit, Aranea doesn’t deserve that. And the beer! Bahamut’s balls, the beer. What if he says the beer is like, I don’t know, like the Tidemother’s piss or --”

“Gladiolus!”

“What?”

“For one, calm down. Ardyn Izunia may be a little harsh with his critiques, but he’s quite fair. He gave Ebony a four, even if he said outright to my face that he doesn’t really favor coffee shops that don’t serve Gralean dark roasts. Which I don’t.”

Gladio’s let out one big whoosh of a sigh. “Okay, okay. But I really --”

“And why are you calling me?”

“Um. Who else was I supposed to call about Ardyn Izunia dropping by?”

“Of course,” Gladio could picture Ignis nodding sagely. “But I would have thought that Na--” he broke off suddenly. “Have you checked your messages and call log yet?”

Gladio thought that was odd. “Uh, no. Why?”

Ignis blew a put-upon sigh, which made Gladio feel more exasperated by the moment. “This is not the time to dissect everything that Ardyn Izunia said. That’s better done in person, truth be told. Let’s meet some time this week for that yes?”

“Um.” Gladio felt like Ignis was scolding him for some reason. “Okay.”

“Now kindly hang up and do as I said, all right? Goodbye, Gladio.”

The line went dead before Gladio could ask for any more details. Utterly bewildered, he chose to do what Ignis said and checked his phone for calls and messages he most likely missed in the past three and a half hours.

Apart from another slew of messages in the Bottled Dreams group chat, there was a text message from his hops supplier confirming their bi-weekly delivery, a MoogleChat from Iris, and two missed calls and texts from an unknown number. He tapped on the icon, more curious than anything. Gladio nearly dropped his phone when he read the messages.

_12:37 pm. [unknown]: Hi Gladio. It’s Naja. I got your number from Iggy, hope that’s ok with you. I meant to call sooner but I realized we forgot to exchange numbers. So here’s mine._

_12:45 pm. [unknown]: You’re not picking up. Is it a bad time? Let me know if you’re good to spar tonight, yeah?_

Gladio frantically tapped out his reply, cursing his large clumsy fingers. Six damnit, he was acting like an overeager teenager who finally got noticed by his crush. Which was half true, come to think of it.

_3:36 pm. Gladio: Hi Naja. Sorry, it’s been a whirlwind day here. Are you still free tonight? 6:30 pm at Cross Chain sound good?_

He was anxiously waiting for Naja’s reply, which came exactly ten minutes and twelve seconds later. Not that he was counting, because he really wasn't.

_3:46 pm. Naja: You’re on._

_3:47 pm. Gladio: See you later._

Considering how his day began, Gladio felt he was ending it in a great note. At least until he realized he used the heart-eyes Chocomoji instead of the regular “Kweh” one.

Fuck. Overeager teenager indeed.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A bit late because the word processing app on my phone decided to crash on me, so I lost almost all progress. :( But anyway, we're back now. Let me know what you think!
> 
> You can also find me on [Tumblr](https://raidelle.tumblr.com)! :)


	7. Chapter 7

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Gladio and Naja meet up for a couple of beers and know more (or perhaps just a little bit more) about each other.

"So what's the story about those?" Naja motioned toward Gladio's facial scars with the hand holding her beer bottle. The other arm was stretched along the back of the bench she was sitting on, with a casual swagger that Gladio found endearing.

They'd met at Cross Chain at six thirty on the dot and spent some forty five minutes sparring. Or, more accurately, Naja flitted around Gladio like a hummingbird with a mean left hook. Gladio held his own better this time around, although his bulk is still definitely working against him.

They went back to Bottled Dreams after they'd showered and dressed, and were now trading stories about nothing in particular. Gladio didn't mind overmuch, as long as it got Naja talking. He found that the former Glaive captain was blunt and straightforward, but isn't one to volunteer information, unless you asked the right questions.

"Oh, that's from a bar fight during my senior year in college," he said with a huff. "Broken beer bottle," he motioned with a downward slash, following the scar with this finger. "Pocket knife," he traced the one on his forehead.

Naja snorted. "Two on one? What did you fight about?"

"You know Noct, right?"

"The president's son? Yeah, we've been introduced. Kinda hard to miss him and his retinue whenever he visits Prompto at Ebony."

"Yeah. He, Iggy, and I have known each other since we were kids. Anyway, Noct was a freshman at CCU at the time and I don't know how he ditched his guard. Maybe it's because his dad just got elected to his first term so security wasn't polished just yet. I dunno. But he snuck out and went to a late-night arcade to play this VR fishing game for hours."

"A fishing game?" Naja said almost disbelievingly.

"Don't ask." Gladio said with a laugh. "But yeah, he played the frickin' game well into the night and when he finally had the sense to go back, he went through the Entertainment District to take a short cut."

"Wrong place, wrong time?"

"Basically. Good thing I was on my way back to my dorm then, too. I was surprised those two drunks even recognized Noct, they were three sheets to the wind and then some."

"What'd Noct do?"

"Brought me to the hospital, called his security team to tell them what happened and to have them pick us up. Apparently they'd activated code red about five minutes after Noct disappeared," said Gladio, shaking his head fondly at the memory. "So who else arrived to bring us back but the president himself."

"Sweet Shiva," Naja chuckled then took a swig of her beer.

"It was funny, actually. Mr. Caelum just sighed and motioned us to get inside the car. He thanked me first and then he turned to Noct and I swear even his spiky hair wilted." Gladio laughed. "I grew up seeing a lot of Mr. Caelum 'cause he and my dad are best friends, and trust me when I say you don't want to be on the receiving end of 'The Look'. I think only my dad can go toe to toe with that."

"Noct didn't sneak out again, I suppose?"

Gladio snorted. "Are you kidding? He just became more creative about it. I'm sure Mr. Caelum knew but I guess as long as the kid wasn't causing trouble..."

"Hmm." Naja hummed, taking a long pull from her bottle.

Gladio was transfixed by the strong lines of her slender neck; he had to physically shake his head to steer it away from that territory. He cleared his throat and gestured to a long scar that ran from her left shoulder down to her elbow. "Is that a story you're willing to share?"

Naja glanced at the scar in question and shrugged. "Combat knife. We'd just captured Fort Vaullerey. It was late and we were all tired, and, well, we found ourselves dealing with some feisty Nifs who refused to surrender quietly."

"Must've hurt," Gladio frowned.

"Yeah," she agreed. "But by that time, I was used to it."

That meant she probably had an assortment of other scars where he couldn't see. Gladio didn't know what to say to that, so he drank more of his beer.

"May I ask you something more... personal?" Naja said after a while.

"Go ahead."

"What's the deal with you and Nyx?"

"What do you mean? We're not the best of friends but we get along just fine."

Naja shook her head like a confused puppy. "Yeah, of course, I get that. But sometimes, when Iggy talks about you or you get mentioned in a conversation, he gets this look on his face," she made a barely perceptible pout that also looked like a smile.

"That's cute."

"On me, maybe," Naja laughed. "But on Nyx, it means he's thinking about something. I doubt even Iggy notices it, but it's there. And it only ever appears when your name is mentioned. So," she trained her eyes on Gladio. "Spill."

Gladio stared right back at Naja for a few seconds before giving in. "I didn't like him for Iggy."

Naja arched an eyebrow. "Why?"

"He's too much like me," Gladio said in a matter-of-fact tone. "Iggy's not a helpless naif by any means, but since we were kids, I'd been his and Noct's unofficial protector of sorts. Iggy wasn't having it, of course, because he's crazy in love with Nyx, but at the time, I didn't trust myself to be in a serious relationship and I wanted to..." he sighed. "I dunno, I wanted to protect Iggy from someone who I thought wasn't looking for something serious. Someone like... Well, someone like me."

Naja was looking at him with that intensity again. "And now?"

"Now I can see how they're perfect for each other. Nyx has been good for Iggy," Gladio said in earnest. "And I would know because the guy's been my friend for practically my whole life."

"And you?"

"What about me?"

"Do you trust yourself to be in a relationship now?"

Gladio gaped at her. "I'm..." He closed his mouth and tried again. "I don't want to say I trust myself just yet, but I'm... willing to try?" He hated the way his voice rose slightly at the end, making him sound like an indecisive jerk.

Naja smiled. "Of course." She glanced at her watch and then placed her empty bottle down on the table. "Well, I best be heading back."

"What? Why?" Gladio said, and he nearly groaned at his childish reaction.

Naja's answering grin made his heart stutter. "I have a job interview tomorrow. I don't want to be late."

"Let me drive you back."

"You're not drunk but you're not exactly sober, either, Gladio. I'll be fine."

"At least let me call you a cab. Please."

"You really are too much like Nyx," she sighed.

"Is that a good thing or a bad thing?"

"Both," she said.

They decided to wait for the cab outside Bottled Dreams, enjoying the crisp autumn air that was starting to get colder and colder each night.

"Can we do this again soon?" Gladio asked as the cab arrived just five minutes later. He opened the door for Naja and held it open even as she'd already settled down on the backseat.

"Sure. I'll give you a call, okay?"

"Yeah. Yeah, of course."

"Good night."

"You too. And good luck tomorrow."

Naja rose a little from her seat to buss her cheek against Gladio's. Her face was slightly angled and Gladio thought that if he turned his head just a tiny bit, the corners of their lips would've touched in a small, small kiss. "Thank you." She looked up at him, eyes twinkling, before sitting back down and telling the driver the address.

As the cab sped away, all Gladio could think of was that Naja couldn't call her soon enough. And that her eyes were more gray than blue.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Late update yet again. I think I should maybe adjust the updates to every Monday GMT +8. Hmm.
> 
> Everything is un-beta'd so please forgive any grammatical errors, typos, etc. Please let me know what you think! I think I'm going to end up with maybe 15 to 20 chapters for this one; I already have an ending in mind but I'm still figuring out how to get there. :)
> 
> Follow me on [Tumblr](https://raidelle.tumblr.com)! :)


	8. Chapter 8

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Things are looking up for Naja. It's a little difficult getting back into the groove of things after being away for so long, but things are definitely looking up.

Prompto Argentum wasn't really sure how he got roped by Naja Ulric to look at budget apartments, but here they were on a cool autumn morning, checking out a unit at a newly constructed medium-rise in the Financial District. It was the third in their list of four prospects for Naja's own place.

"Oh, this is nice," Prompto said. "Got a view that's not cinder blocks at least." He pointed at the windows facing a small park.

Naja laughed good-naturedly. "Yeah, definitely a plus. And look. They even managed to fit a tub in the en suite."

They continued a casual exploration of the unit, with Naja commenting here and there about the flimsy lock on the front door or the too-dark floor in the bedroom. Prompto, meanwhile, was listlessly walking around, chewing on his lip and debating internally whether or not he should ask the question he'd been meaning to ask three days ago. Naja took it out of his hands when she asked in a concerned voice, "Are you okay, Prompto?"

The blonde jumped a little, a sheepish look on his freckled face. "Yeah, I was just... why did you ask me to go with you? I mean --" he took a deep breath. "You could've asked Nyx. Or Iggy. Why me?"

"Because I wanted your company," Naja said. A "duh" was implied at the end, but Prompto thought she was a little too dignified for that. "I want to keep this a secret from my brother for the time being and Iggy's schedule is already packed as it is."

"Gladio, then?"

"Gladio and I have been on a couple of dates, if you can call them that, but we aren’t quite on the 'picking apartments together' level yet."

"So that leaves you me?"

"I don't have friends here yet, Prompto, I've been gone for too long," Naja said, her voice sad and low. "Now I'm back for good. And I want to be friends with you. Is that so bad?"

Prompto smiled tentatively at her. "No. Not at all. I want to be friends with you, too. I'm just... well, I'm originally from Niflheim."

"And I'm originally from Galahd. Why does that matter?" Naja looked confused.

Prompto's eyes widened. "You're a Glaive. I'm basically your..."

"You're not my enemy, if that's what you were about to say," Naja said sternly.

"But..."

"I want to be friends with you, Prompto," Naja repeated. "Don't make me pull rank."

"I'm not a soldier," Prompto pretended to sulk.

"It's the principle that matters." She hooked an arm under Prompto's. "Now come on. Let's go look at the other place before getting lunch."

"I still think you should've asked Gladio," Prompto said. "He worships you."

Naja laughed. "You're too much. And besides, this feels a little too intimate. I told you. We're not on that level yet."

"But you can be intimate with me?" Prompto winked, his megawatt smile slowly making an appearance.

There we go, Naja thought. "Psh. No offense but you’re not my type. And even if you were, you're spoken for. I’ve seen the way Noctis looks at you, you know.”

Prompto's smile morphed into a giggle. He nudged Naja’s shoulder with his own, even as he blushed. "Aw. Now you’re being too much."

“No, just being honest,” she smiled.

“And what do you mean I’m not your type? I’m everybody’s type!” Prompto said jokingly, twirling with his arms wide open as they left the unit. The realtor followed behind dutifully, grinning at Prompto’s antics.

“Too skinny.” Naja grinned.

“So you like the big buff ones, like Gladio, hmm?” Prompto waggled his eyebrows.

“Shut up.”

*****

“I like the third one. I could actually picture you living there and enjoying it,” Prompto declared. They had just finished looking at all four apartments and were now having lunch at a bistro in Civic Square. “And your potential neighbors seem nice,” he added thoughtfully.

“I like it too, actually, even though the bedroom floor is a bit too dark for my tastes. But that unit near the Citadel is tempting. I’m a big fan of the industrial chic thing they have going on.” Naja said.

Prompto grimaced. “Ew, did you see those uppity upchucks who live there?”

Naja laughed at that. “I don’t necessarily have to interact with them, you know.”

“Still!” Prompto insisted. “It’s good to have nice neighbors, trust me. My parents were often away for business when I was a kid and Mrs. Finestra next door was a lifesaver.”

“That’s a fair point. So the one in the Financial District then? The uh...” she checked the various pamphlets in her hand. “Nebula Mansion?”

“I vote for that one, yeah. But it’s still up to you ‘cause you’re the one going to live there.” Prompto shrugged.

“Let’s go with it,” Naja smiled. “Thanks Prompto. Really.”

Prompto smiled back. “Thanks for asking me to come with you. It’s pretty fun.” He gulped the last of his lemonade and added, “I went apartment hunting alone and I could’ve used the input. Noct wanted to help but his definition of ‘budget apartment’ is waaaaay different.”

Naja laughed again. It was easy to see why Noctis -- all other people in general, really -- gravitated toward Prompto. He was bright and warm and crisp, like early morning sunshine.

She was interrupted from her musings when her phone rang. "Excuse me for a bit, Prompto. I need to take this."

"Sure thing. I'll go get the bill, okay?"

"No don't --"

But Prompto had already called their waiter, and Naja really can't hold off from answering anymore. "Hey, Crowe. I wasn't expecting to hear back from you so soon."

*****

"Hey, don't pout. It'll be your treat next time. Deal?" Prompto said, elbowing Naja. There was a tiny pause before he added, "There, uh, there will be a next time, right?"

"Yes, of course," Naja sounded slightly offended.

Prompto grinned. "There you go."

Naja sighed. "I guess I'm still not used to not having --" she was about to say "my orders followed" but she caught herself just in time. Prompto seemed to understand, though, and she was grateful.

"If it'll make you feel better, I'll pick a really fancy place for next time and order the most expensive thing in the menu."

Naja punched his shoulder playfully in retaliation.

"Ow!" Prompto said in an exaggerated tone.

"You deserve it, crackshot," Naja retorted, though there was no heat in her words.

They then walked in comfortable silence toward Ebony, until Prompto's curiosity got the better of him and asked, "So, um, I didn't know you knew Crowe Altius."

"Oh, I don't really know 'know' her. I've met her a couple of times, that's it. But I wanted to propose something to the owners of Cross Chain and, well, she was my way in." Naja shrugged.

"What did you propose?"

"C'mon. I'll tell you when we get to Ebony so I only have to say it once."

*****

"Prom? What're you doing here? It's your day off," Nyx said from the counter by way of greeting.

"I went on a date with your sister and got to know her intimately," the blonde in a solemn voice.

"You have a death wish, Argentum?" Nyx said, his tone dry.

Naja flicked at his brother's nose and asked, "Can it Nyx. I just wanted someone to show me around the city some more. Someone not you."

"Ouch," Nyx clutched at his heart dramatically.

"Where's Iggy?" Naja asked.

"Wow, you've been home barely two months and you’re already tired of me? I’m hurt, Naj," Nyx replied in mock despair.

"Ha ha," Naja said sarcastically. "I've got some news. Can you spare me five minutes?"

Nyx readily moved away from the counter. "C'mon, Iggy's in his office. Coctura," he addressed a woman with light blonde hair who was currently restocking the pastry shelf. "Take over for me for bit, please?"

Naja pulled Prompto along as she followed Nyx to Ignis's office, which, as it turns out, was simply a small and sparsely furnished square room with a connecting door to the kitchen. She thought it was dangerous to keep paperwork so close to several sources of fire, but Ignis could probably just glare at a stray ember and it would fizzle out before it could burn anything.

"To what do I owe this pleasure, Naja, Prompto?" Ignis said pleasantly.

"Wow, nobody really gives a damn about me today." Nyx said, pouting at his boyfriend.

"Oh shush," Ignis said as Naja and Prompto chuckled.

Nyx kissed Ignis's temple then turned to his sister. "So what's this news you wanted to tell us?"

"You know that proposal I was telling you about the other night? It got approved and now I have a job,” she said happily.

"Congratulations!" Ignis exclaimed. "You'll do wonderfully, I'm sure."

"You don't even know what it is yet." Naja laughed. “But thanks, Iggy.”

"Regardless." Ignis said, softer this time.

"I'm dying here, Naj. Tell us." Nyx urged.

"I'm going to teach self-defense at Cross Chain," Naja said and Prompto let out an "Oooh." Naja smiled at her friend and continued, "I got the owners to agree to thrice a week, twice a day lessons; if those do well enough in three months, they'll bump it up to four, maybe five times a week."

"That's awesome, Naj. Congrats!" Nyx grabbed his sister in a bear hug and kissed the top of her head.

"I'm definitely signing up," Prompto said.

"Thanks for the vote of confidence."

"When do the classes start?" Prompto said, bouncing excitedly on the balls of his feet.

"Crowe said they're giving it about five days for the word to get around so..." she counted the days in her head. "First class would be this coming Friday."

"Awesome! And you got enough time to get the papers ready before you move, too."

Naja groaned as Nyx caught on. "Move?" her brother said.

Prompto clapped a hand to his mouth and glanced apologetically at Naja. She threw a 'don't worry about it' smile toward Prompto before facing her brother. "I was going to tell you when everything's settled. But now that it's out, yes, I'm getting a place of my own. Prompto joined me in looking at apartments this morning and I already found one that I liked."

"Naj," Nyx pouted.

"Oh don't rain on her parade, love." Ignis patted Nyx's arm, then turned to the younger Ulric. "These milestones call for a celebration. Invite whoever you want and tell them to come here at seven, all right?"

"Iggy that's --"

"Let me do this for you, Naja."

"Okay. But just because it's you, Iggy," she smiled. "Thank you."

"Um. Can I invite Noct if he's able to come?"

"Of course," Naja and Ignis said in unison.

Prompto glanced at Nyx before adding, "And Gladio?"

Nyx shook his head with a smile. "You guys gotta stop that. I won’t kill him, I swear."

"So Gladio then." Prompto said with finality. "Unless you don't agree, Naja?" His tone was teasing.

"Ugh, you're the worst," Naja grumbled. "Fine, I'll call him."

"I did say whoever you want," Ignis said. "Now out of my office, the lot of you. I need to start cooking." He was already reaching for his apron that was hanging on the coat rack.

Their reactions to her announcements made Naja feel like an eighteen-year-old, wide-eyed and eager to take on the world, and exceedingly proud to have landed a job straight out of high school. But when you think about it, if you didn’t count her experience with the Glaives, this is actually her first job straight out of high school.

As they marched in a single file out of Ignis's office and back into the coffee-and-cinnamon warmth and fragrance of Ebony, Naja took a deep breath and smiled in content.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Early update! Although I'm not too happy with the way this turned out, I feel like this is one of the better chapters. Let me know if you agree.
> 
> The next chapter might be a little late; it's been kind of hectic, both at home and at work. Please stick around. :)
> 
> Follow me on [Tumblr](https://raidelle.tumblr.com) and let's be friends? :)


	9. Chapter 9

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Naja has dismantled bombs, shot targets from more than 1000 yards, trained hundreds of Glaive recruits, led even more successful missions... but teach a self-defense class? That's something she's never dealt with before. So yes, she's nervous.

Naja didn't want her self-defense classes to be a total bust, but she didn't expect it to be this... well, this big, either. But here was the proof in her hands: a print out of the names of her soon-to-be students. All sixty-five of them. It was rather overwhelming.

“Astrals...” she murmured. She was sitting on her bed in Ignis’s guest room, a spread of papers in front of her. Crowe had kindly provided her with a basic profile sheet of each of her students, along with the schedule of her classes. The first one was tomorrow morning at ten (Prompto, Crowe, and even Iris signed up for that one). It was several hours away, and yet she was already feeling a little nervous.

“Are you all right?” She looked up to see Ignis giving her a concerned look from the doorway.

Naja sighed. "Yeah, I'm okay. It's just that this," she gestured to the mess on the bed, "isn't something I've dealt with before, Glaives or no."

She tried to smile but if Ignis's answering chuckle was any indication, she only managed a pained uptilting of lips .

"If it's any consolation, I felt quite a bit nervous, too, during Ebony's soft opening," Ignis said, leaning against the door jamb.

Naja laughed at that. "You? Nervous? Kinda hard to imagine, Iggy."

"Oh but I was," Ignis replied. "And now here I am, two years later. The jitters are temporary, I assure you."

"I hope so."

"Perhaps think of it as another Glaive training exercise?" Ignis suggested. "I won't pretend to know anything about it, of course, but perhaps that might make you more comfortable."

"Maybe I'll teach them how to defuse roadside bombs, too, once they're in an advanced enough level," Naja shook her head in morbid amusement.

"I didn't mean to --"

Ignis sounded stricken and Naja hastened to placate him. "Oh, Iggy, no. I'm sorry, that was a joke. A really bad one,” she grimaced. "Your suggestion isn't half bad, actually. Maybe I'll try that."

The spectacled man blew an almost imperceptible sigh of relief. "If I may make another suggestion?"

"Everything's welcome at this point."

Ignis smiled kindly. "Talk to Gladio. He and I had a conversation almost like this one, about two months ago. Perhaps because his experience is more recent, he will know better how to help with all the..." he waved an elegant hand, "conflicting emotions."

"Oh," Naja said rather blankly.

"It's still early. You may be able to catch him before the dinner rush at Bottled Dreams," Ignis said as he pushed himself back to proper standing posture.

Naja glanced at the clock. Seven fifteen. "Yeah, maybe I'll call him. Thanks Iggy."

"You're welcome."

*****

"Hi Naja."

Naja wouldn't admit it just yet, but Gladio's low rumbling voice was like a balm to her frazzled nerves. "Hi," she breathed. "Can we meet? I want to uh... talk."

There was a slight pause before Gladio answered. "Is here okay? We're kinda undermanned tonight so I gotta stay, but I can reserve a table for you."

In the background, Naja could hear the faint thumps and tinkles of plates and cutlery being cleared away or set upon tables, and the bustle of the dinner crowd slowly filtering in. "Oh," she said. "There's no need for that. I don't want to impose. And anyway, it's not that importa --"

"Naja," Gladio cut her off, his tone a combination of teasing, amusement, and reproach. "You can't just call and ask if we can meet and then leave me hanging. C'mon. I'd love to see you."

"I --"

"Do you want me to pick you up?"

"No, no. I've bothered you enough already. I'll just borrow Nyx's bike."

"You can drive that thing?"

Naja huffed a small laugh at her mental image of Gladio raising an incredulous eyebrow. "Yeah, of course. I'll see you in fifteen, yeah?"

"See ya, beautiful."

*****

"Hi Luna. I didn't know you worked on Thursday nights."

"I don't. But he said pretty please," Luna winked. "Come on, your table's out back."

Situated beside the glass doors that opened to a small porch-like area, where Gladio kept a few Daphne plants and lavenders blooming, was Naja's table. It looked out of place, the gray-and-blue plaid tablecloth standing out amidst the sea of unadorned wooden tabletops.

Luna seemed to pick up on Naja's curiosity and said, "Gladio wanted to have a table ready for you, but everywhere's occupied," she waved rather unnecessarily in the general direction of the main dining area, "so he set this up."

"Right."

"He's obviously smitten," Luna winked again, then laughed as Naja ducked her head in embarrassment. "Do you need a menu?"

"No, I'm good."

"Alright, then. I'll tell him you're here, though he probably already knows."

Sure enough, Gladio appeared not two minutes later. "Everything okay? What can I get you?"

"A cake?"

Gladio laughed at her uncertainty. "Are you sure about that?" He was busing a nearby table and he chanced a glance at her while balancing several plates on one arm.

Naja couldn't help laughing back. "Not really. What would you recommend for dessert?"

"What’d you have for dinner?”

“Iggy made some lasagna.”

“Oh, Astrals, I’m jealous!” Gladio groaned. “But I know just the thing. Sit tight." He wove between tables easily, and Naja had to marvel at how sinuously Gladio moved despite his size.

He returned with a slice of some sort of cheesecake topped with Ulwaat berries. “Here you go. That’s what Iris loves to call the Kupo Cake. But in the menu, it’s just the Ulwaat Berry Cheesecake.”

Naja smiled at the smooth surface of the dessert, designed to look like the squinting face of a Moogle; the Ulwaat berries formed its nose and ears. “You can’t expect me to eat this. It’s so cute!”

Gladio picked up a fork, speared a corner of the cake, and lifted the piece toward Naja’s mouth. Naja pretended to be scandalized.

“You’re cute,” Gladio said, waving the cake-laden fork under her nose. “Now c’mon, try it.”

Naja obliged, chasing the fork with her mouth. “Mmm!” Her eyes widened in delight. “That’s really good! Compliments to the chef.”

Gladio nodded in satisfaction. “I’ll tell Iris. That's her recipe,” he said. “You want a coffee for later?”

“Um. Sure.”

“Okay. Might take a while, though,” Gladio sighed, looking at the door and seeing a couple more diners making their way into the restaurant.

“It’s fine, Gladio. I’ll wait.”

Gladio’s eyes were like rich whiskey as they fell upon her. It was difficult, Naja decided, getting looked at the way Gladio looked at her. It was like being ensnared in a pool of warmth and comfort, and she wanted to sink further and drown. Clearing her throat, heat creeping up her neck and toward her cheeks, Naja motioned her head toward the incoming customers. “Go on,” she said. “I’ll be here.”

Those golden brown eyes lingered on her for a few seconds more, before Gladio reluctantly turned away to attend to business. 

*****

It was an hour and a half before the dinner crowd thinned, and Gladio was finally able to join Naja. He placed a steaming cup of coffee on the table, then pulled a neighboring chair and straddled it backwards. “So,” he began, his voice even lower than usual. “Talk?”

“It was Iggy’s idea actually,” Naja began. When Gladio merely raised his eyebrows, she continued. “I’m feeling a little nervous about tomorrow. And Iggy suggested I talk to you because he said you'll be able to help with the, um...” she gestured helplessly to herself.

“That's right, the self-defense classes. I almost forgot what day it is,” Gladio said. “That's what you're nervous about?"

Naja only managed a faint smile in return.

“So you’re nervous because...” Gladio trailed off, as if searching for reasons. “It’s your first time teaching a self-defense class?”

Naja blew a breath that ruffled her bangs. “Not really. I used to train new Glaive recruits so I guess this is right up that alley. Even Iggy said so.”

Gladio just looked at her intently, silently asking her to continue. “I’ve dealt with a lot of unknowns during my tours of duty. But those unknowns, I knew how to deal with. This one is something that I willingly created and --"

“Naja," Gladio said gently, cutting off her rambling. "Stop thinking about this like it's a mission."

“I’m not --” Naja paused and realized that she was, indeed, looking at the situation like a field op.

"Look," Gladio picked up Naja's hand, which was resting near her yet-untouched coffee cup. "I dunno a lot about teaching self-defense but I think it's like any other job. If you really believe in what you're doing, then everything's going to turn out okay."

Naja made to pull her hand back, but Gladio held fast. "It's clichè, I know," he said with an apologetic grin. "But that's the only thing I can tell you. I was kinda overwhelmed, too, during the first few weeks of Bottled Dreams, y'know. But I love what we do here and, well, we just go at it one step at a time."

Naja was silent. She didn't know how long she was staring into the dark depths of her coffee cup, when Gladio jolted her out of her daze by squeezing her hand. "Naja? Are you okay?"

"Yeah," she replied. "Just thinking."

"Don't worry too much about it. If all of your students are as excited as Iris, I'm sure you're gonna be a big hit," Gladio grinned at her, amber eyes twinkling.

"Thank you," she said, squeezing Gladio's hand right back. "And I'm sorry. I shouldn't have --"

"It's okay, Naja. I'll always make time for you." Gladio said, his voice impossibly lower. He lightly stroked his thumb across the back of her hand, leaving a trail of fire in its wake.

There it was again. That Six-damned warm, honeyed gaze. Naja shook her head and laughed self-deprecatingly. "Some Glaive captain I am, huh?"

"Retired," Gladio corrected her playfully. "And besides, it's just like you said. You didn't deal with this kind of thing with the Glaives."

Naja's smile finally glittered in her eyes. "Thank you," she said again.

"Anytime," Gladio said. He pulled her hand gently toward his lips and, when Naja didn't pull back, placed a gentle kiss upon it.

Naja tilted her head to the side, studying Gladio's face intently.

"What?" Gladio said, looking rather discomfited by her gaze.

"Nothing," Naja said. Then she turned her hand up, so that they were palm to palm, and laced their fingers together. She decided that she liked how her hand looked, ensconced and dwarfed in Gladio's own.

Their hands stayed clasped on the table, their eyes in silent conversation, long after the coffee has turned cold.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I just realized that I haven't yet mentioned Gladio's tattoo -- for those of you wondering, yes, Gladio has that same tattoo in this AU. It will get mentioned soon. :D
> 
> Say hello to me on [Tumblr](https://raidelle.tumblr.com/)! You can also send me asks and prompts there. :)


	10. Chapter 10

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Gladio doesn't need labels. Naja doesn't need labels. But labels can't hurt, can they?

“So,” Iris began in a tone that made Gladio wary. “Is Naja your girlfriend now?”

They were having one of their twice-a-month family lunches, which their dad had practically mandated. (“From who else would I get my dose of gossip,” the Amicitia patriarch had told his children in all seriousness, though his eyes were twinkling. “Regis always has some new thing to discuss and he has only one child!”)

“Iris!” Gladio said around a sigh. He looked at their father and to his chagrin, Clarus was stifling a laugh.

The younger Amicitia just grinned. “Gladdy, c'mon! You’ve been going out for a while now, right? You helped her move into her apartment. And,” Iris drew out the word long enough that Gladio was afraid of what she would say next. “You made her picture your phone’s wallpaper!”

Gladio groaned. How the hell did she even know that? “Iris!” He said again.

“Wait,” Clarus said. He took a sip of water before continuing. “Is this the same Naja that you’ve mentioned before, Iris? Your self-defense instructor?”

Great, Gladio thought. His father and his sister have discussed Naja before. Who knows what they could have plotted since then.

“Yes. And she’s a former Glaive captain!” Iris replied brightly.

“Mm, I remember. You couldn’t stop talking about ‘bad ass’ she is,” their father said with a faint smile. Then he addressed Gladio. “And you’ve been pursuing this young woman, Gladiolus?”

“We’ve been seeing each other for about three months now, yes,” Gladio said in confirmation.

“Why haven’t you brought her home yet?” Clarus asked.

“Well, we haven’t um… made things official yet,” Gladio said with a shrug. His father eyed him curiously, noting the longing tone that accompanied the nonchalant gesture.

“Oh Gladdy!” Iris exclaimed, at the same time that Clarus said “But you would like it to be, er, as you say, official?”

Gladio nodded, looking his father straight in the eyes. “Yes,” he said simply.

Clarus took another sip of water and declared, “Well I’d like to meet Miss Ulric if she has both my children quite so moonstruck.”

“Yay!” Iris cheered. Gladio just shook his head with a smile.

“Kindly invite her to join us for dinner, Gladiolus. Perhaps this Sunday?”

“Of course, Dad.”

*****

Gladio drove to Cross Chain right after lunch, just in time to have a few minutes to spend with Naja before the afternoon session that day. He wasn’t officially listed as a student, but he’d been watching her teach whenever he could. He had also been a willing volunteer for Naja to “incapacitate,” to show how even the smallest person can take down a behemoth like him when the situation calls for it.

It shouldn’t have been attractive, the way Naja can sweep the floor with him so easily, but it is. Dear Six, it is. And he’d suffer through sore muscles every night if it meant he could help Naja in any way in this undertaking.

Astrals help him, he got it bad for Naja Ulric.

“Hey there, big guy,” Libertus greeted Gladio. You wouldn’t think Libertus Ostium owned a gym at first glance – he seemed more suited as a sales person with the ridiculous amount of charisma he exuded – but he was passionate about Cross Chain and dedicated to his clients. Gladiolus liked that about him.

“Your lady love’s in the stock room getting some prop weapons,” Libertus told him with a wink.

“Shut up, Lib,” Gladio growled, but he headed toward that direction anyway, which earned him a hearty laugh.

Naja emerged from the stock room, carrying a box of props, just as Gladio reached the section where the gym mats were installed. Naja shared this space with Pelna Khara, Libertus’s co-owner and Cross Chain’s MMA instructor.

“I didn’t think you were sitting in today,” Naja said when she spotted him. “Don’t you have lunch with your father and Iris?” She started sorting through the blunted knives, dummy guns, and other fake weapons that still felt like the real things.

“Yeah, well, Dad shooed me out early to make sure that I had enough time to ask you to join us for dinner on Sunday.” Gladio said.

The way Naja’s eyes widened bordered on comical. It was terribly adorable. Gladio laughed and added, “And enough time to convince you to come, too, just in case you reacted that way.” He pointed at her face.

“Where, exactly, are we having this dinner?” Naja asked, her tone suspicious. “And who will be joining us?”

“So you’ll come, then?”

“Gladio.”

“The dinner will be at home and it’s just going to be you, me, Iris, and Dad.” Gladio answered dutifully.

“Home being your apartment downtown?”

Gladio’s answer was slow in coming. He felt like this was going to be a deal-breaker, knowing Naja’s aversion to formal affairs. “No, it’s going to be at the estate.”

Sure enough, Naja responded with “Can I say no?”

Gladio shrugged. “Of course. But Dad’s really looking forward to meeting you, and you know Iris absolutely adores you so…”

“And you?”

“What about me?”

“Do you want me there?”

Gladio’s eyes softened. Oh, this woman and the things she did to his heart. “Of course I do. I’ve wanted to bring you home long before now.”

Naja heaved a deep sigh. “You do know that this is the first time I’m ever going to be meeting a boyfriend’s parents? Well, parent,” she amended.

“So I’m your boyfriend now?” Gladio grinned, and damn if that didn’t make him want to skip in giddiness. Giddy isn’t a word that he’d usually associate with himself, but that’s all he has for the time being.

Naja arched an eyebrow at him, although there was the slightest hint of hesitation in her voice when she said, “Aren’t you?”

Gladio barely suppressed a happy moan and pulled Naja into a tight hug. “You bet your ass I am,” he said. It was an awkward position with their height difference; he rectified it by lifting her up and keeping her in place with his arms around her lower back. He nuzzled into the space between her neck and shoulders and just breathed.

“Okay,” Naja laughed. “You can let go now.”

Gladio’s face was still split in an ecstatic grin when he carefully lowered his girlfriend back to the gym mats. Girlfriend. Naja Ulric was his girlfriend.

“So I can tell Dad that you’re definitely coming to dinner on Sunday?”

“Yes, all right. I’ll go. But,” she raised a warning finger. “You don’t get to blame me if I turn out to be a disaster.”

“You can never be a disaster,” Gladio said with conviction. “But yes, cross my heart.” He drew an X on his chest.

Naja finally gave him a full-blown smile. “If you don’t wipe that look from your face, I’m gonna punch you.”

“What look?” Gladio said a little too innocently.

“Ugh,” Naja groaned. “Class starts in ten minutes. If you can’t behave by then, I’m kicking you out.”

“Yes, ma'am!”

Naja ended up asking Libertus to herd him away.

*****

_4:07 pm. Naja: Where are you? Need your help ASAP._

_4:08 pm. Nyx: home. whats the problem?_

_4:08 pm. Naja: Gladio invited me to dinner on Sunday. At the Amicitia Manor._

_4:09 pm. Nyx: i fail 2 see y thats a problem. r u asking 4 my permission? ;) ur 25 now, u can do what u want, u know._

_4:10 pm. Naja: No, you prick. I’m meeting his Dad and I need HELP._

_4:12 pm. Nyx: where r u? i will pick u up and bring reinforcements._

_4:12 pm. Naja: At Cross Chain. Just packing up._

_4:14 pm. Nyx: wait 4 me. be there in 20 mins._

_4:14 pm. Naja: Thank you._

_4:17 pm. Nyx: luv u naj. even if im no longer ur knight in shining armor. ;)_

_4:18 pm. Naja: You’ll always be my hero. :)_

*****

“Reinforcements” turned out to be Ignis.

“I simply cannot believe you have never been invited to meet the parents before,” he said. They were strolling between clothes racks in a nearby boutique, looking for something appropriate to wear. “Surely you never lacked suitors.”

“Oh yeah,” Nyx answered laughingly. “They started coming when she was, like, eight.” He held up a sunset orange turtleneck blouse in silent question.

Naja shook her head at her brother, then addressed Ignis. “Relationships just weren’t something that I really thought about back in high school, I guess. And then I joined the Glaives right after and there simply wasn’t any time for something meaningful.”

“That makes sense,” Ignis nodded at her. “And that makes this event even more significant.”

“What are your thoughts about red?” Nyx interjected. He raised a fire-engine boat-neck blouse with slightly flared long sleeves.

“I think it would look woderful on you, Naja. Try it on,” Ignis encouraged.

They ended up getting the said blouse, a pair of dark brown wool trousers, a dark brown trench coat, a red scarf, red kitten heels, and a few pieces of jewelry finished in bronze.

“This is too much, Iggy,” Naja complained. They exited the boutique arm in arm and decided to make the short walk to where Ignis had parked rather than call the valet.

“Nonsense,” Ignis waved her off. “I’ve always wanted a little sister to spoil and now here you are.”

Unable to do anything else, Naja just shook her head and smiled at Ignis. “Thank you,” was all she could say.

“I still think you should’ve gotten those high heels,” Nyx said. He was trailing along behind Ignis and Naja, carrying the bags that held their purchases.

Naja didn’t even look back when she said, “No! I already agreed to get the kitten heel things. I wanted flats!”

Ignis patted her arm. “Trust me on this one, darling.”

“But Gladio’s so tall! The heels would’ve made it a tiny bit easier to kiss him," Nyx said in a teasing tone.

"Ugh! What are you, twelve?”

Nyx laughed.

“You’re rather cavalier about this, love,” Ignis observed as they reached his car and he pressed the button to unlock it.

“She’s a grown woman,” Nyx said in all seriousness. He piled the shopping bags next to Naja on the back seat. “Still my baby sister, though. So if he breaks your heart, I break his face, yeah?”

“Of course,” Naja grumped, but her eyes were shining amusement.

“Not that I think Gladio will hurt Naja in any way, but you truly think you can take him on?” Ignis asked as he started the engine.

“You wound me, babe,” Nyx said.

Naja listened absently to the two men banter. She gazed out the window and watched the city whiz past, thinking about how much her life has changed in the four odd months that she’d been home.

*****

_7:03 pm. Iris: So?_

_7:08 pm. Gladio: What?_

_7:08 pm. Iris: Is Naja coming to dinner on Sunday?_

_7:10 pm. Gladio: Yes. I already told Dad._

_7:11 pm. Gladio: And don’t make it awkward. It’s her first time to be brought home to meet the parents._

_7:11 pm. Iris: OMG! THAT IS ADORABLE!_

_7:11 pm. Iris: SO IS SHE YOUR GIRLFRIEND NOW? ARE YOU HER FIRST BOYFRIEND?_

_7:15 pm. Gladio: Don’t shout. And yes, she is my girlfriend now._

_7:15 pm. Iris:_ ❤ ❤ ❤ ❤ ❤ ❤

_7:15 pm. Gladio: I don’t know about the other one._

_7:16 pm. Iris: But you said it’s her FIRST TIME to MEET THE PARENTS._

_7:18 pm. Gladio: Yes._

_7:18 pm. Iris: So that’s basically confirmation that you’re her first boyfriend!_

_7:20 pm. Gladio: I don’t care, Iris. It doesn’t matter._

_7:21 pm. Iris: AWW, GLADDY! You’re so IN LOVE!_

_7:25 pm. Gladio: So what if I am?_

_7:25 pm. Iris: I can see your heart eyes from way over here! OH GLADDY YOU BIG SAP!_

_7:26 pm. Iris: So what time are you picking her up on Sunday? Can I help her dress up?_

_8:18 pm. Gladio: Probably around 6. And no, that’s probably going to make her feel pressured or something._

_8:19 pm. Iris: Aww, so sweet. Were you talking to her just now?_

_8:20 pm. Gladio: Yes, why?_

_8:20 pm. Iris: NOTHING! Good night, Gladdy!_ ❤

_8:20 pm. Iris: See you on Sunday._

_8:21 pm. Iris: Bring her flowers! Bring here gladioli! OMG, that would be perfect!_

_8:30 pm. Iris: Love you, Gladdy! I’m so happy for you._ ❤ ❤ ❤ ❤ ❤

 _9:00 pm. Gladio:_ ❤

_9:01 pm. Iris: Is that for me or for Naja???_

_9:10 pm. Gladio: I take it back._

_9:10 pm. Iris: LOVE YOU GLADDY!_

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I was planning on posting this a little later, but the longer I held off, the longer the chapter got. So I cut it and decided to just have the family dinner in a separate chapter, plus maybe other scenes.
> 
> And I can't get emojis to work on the text so, yeah. The text exchanges of Gladio and Iris are missing some heart-eye emojis and winky faces.
> 
> Please leave a comment or kudos if you liked this story, and thank you for sticking around.
> 
> I'm also on [Tumblr](https://www.tumblr.com/blog/raidelle). Send me a message and let's be friends. :)


	11. Interlude

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Naja's about to meet Clarus for the first time. She's nervous, but with Gladio there... well, things will be all right, she thinks.

Gladio was just raising his hand to knock on Naja's door when it was opened by -- who else -- Nyx. With a jerk of his head, the older man motioned Gladio to come in.

"Sword lilies? Really?" Nyx sounded amused. He was looking at the bouquet that Gladio was clutching in a death grip.

He didn't know if Nyx spoke flower, but Gladio's floral namesake symbolized a lot of things that reminded him of Naja: strength, integrity, and faithfulness. A bouquet of gladiolus also meant that the recipient pierces the heart of the giver with passion. (Gladio thought that was a huge "Get it? *wink wink*" kind of move from whoever made that association.)

Gladio didn't think that his girlfriend's brother needed to hear those things from him, though, so he just shrugged and said, "It was Iris's idea."

Nyx made a noncommittal sound from the back of his throat before waving a hand toward the sofa. "Have a seat," he said. "Drink?"

"Just water."

Nyx poured the requested drink, then brought it, along with a coaster, over to where Gladio was seated rather gingerly on the sofa. The flowers were carefully laid across his lap.

"Thanks," Gladio said as he accepted the glass. "Are you here to give me the big brother talk?"

Nyx stared at Gladio for a long while before heaving a deep breath. "Sort of," he said with a shrug and then yelled, "Naj! Gladio's here!"

When they heard Naja's muffled "Just a second!" Nyx settled himself on the wing-back chair facing the sofa, as if readying himself for a long conversation.

"What the hell?" Gladio was bewildered.

"That was a warning for her to give me a few minutes with you." Nyx explained. "So," he continued and Gladio braced himself. "I don't know much about how she spent her time with the Glaives, but I'd think it's safe to say that this is Naja's first serious, stable relationship."

"Okay," Gladio said, remembering his and Iris's text messages a couple of days ago. He silently waited for the next part of Nyx's piece.

"I like you, Gladio, I think you're a good guy. I don't think Iggy would consider you as his best friend otherwise," Nyx continued. "I guess what I'm saying is that Naj isn't used to having anyone else but me. And now you're here. So don't go ruining it, okay?"

Huh. That was both expected and unexpected. But Gladio understood. "Of course. And thank you."

Nyx stared at him for a few seconds more before slapping his hands to his knees. He stood up and went to knock on Naja's bedroom door. "You decent yet?"

The door swung open to reveal Naja. She was muttering under her breath; Gladio caught something that sounded like "stupid eyeliner" amongst other whispered invectives about makeup.

Nyx laughed. "At least you don't look like a raccoon."

"Haha," Naja said sarcastically.

"Seriously, Naj. You look really nice. See, Gladio's speechless." Nyx tilted his head towards Gladio, who was indeed standing in motionless silence in the living area

"Hi," Gladio said, fighting down a blush. Naja looked more than nice, in his opinion. The red of her blouse brought a flush of color to her cheeks. He could detect the slightest hint of the stupid eyeliner that brought out the blue in her eyes, and her lips were painted a dusky rose. She was beautiful.

Nyx was grinning at him. Gladio cleread his throat and extended the bouquet toward Naja. "You look um... you look lovely. These are for you."

Naja walked over to him and kissed his cheek. She had to stand on the very tips of her toes to do it, even with Gladio stooping a little to accommodate her. "Thank you," she smiled at him. "Let me just put these in some water and then we can go."

"Should've gotten those high heels, Naj." Nyx said in a teasing voice.

"Shut up," Naja replied good-naturedly, shaking her head. She'd fetched a crystal vase (Noctis's ridiculously passe but rather thoughtful housewarming present), filled it with water, and gently arranged the flowers. "These are sword lilies, right?" She asked Gladio.

"Yes," he nodded. "Iris thought it was rather clever," he explained. "Mom was all about the language of flowers and, well..." Gladio trailed off with a shrug. Maybe he'd tell Naja later what gladioli symbolized or maybe she'd Moogle it for herself. But no way was he saying what those flowers meant out loud, with Nyx right there to hear.

Naja smiled at him again. "Thank you."

Nyx seemed to sense he'd become irrelevant in the past few minutes. "Okay," he said, drawing out the word. "I'm gonna go now. Enjoy the evening, you two."

*****

"Talk to me."

"What?" Gladio said curiously. They were barely five minutes into the thirty-minute drive from Naja's apartment to the Amicitia Manor, and already, Naja looked ready to bolt.

"Just distract me, please. Otherwise I'll think too much." Naja threw him a pleading glance, which he caught in the rearview mirror.

"Oh. Okay. Hmm," Gladio mused. "It was Dad who decided to name us after flowers. Mom's name's Dahlia, and Dad insisted that there's a kind of butterfly that's called Clarus, that's why he was so attracted to her."

Naja smiled softly. "That's adorable."

"Don't let Dad hear you say that," Gladio said with a laugh. "So anyway, yeah. Flowers. Mom taught us early about floriography, so I was really careful when I gave flowers to anybody. I didn't want to give the wrong kind."

"Did you ever give the wrong kind?"

"Naw," Gladio said with a grin. "Mom's a good teacher and I was really interested in it so I picked it up quick. But y'know. Most people don't really care about the meaning. They just like to receive flowers or think they're pretty," he shrugged.

"So what does a gladiolus mean?"

Gladio gave Naja a sideways glance before answering. "It symbolizes strength. Also integrity and faithfulness."

Naja merely nodded.

"And um... so it's also called a sword lily right? So when you receive a bouquet, it means um. It means that you pierce the heart of the giver with passion."

Naja was silent after that proclamation. Nervously, Gladio asked, "Too much?"

"No," she replied, blue-gray eyes sparkling. "It's not something that I usually hear about while in a car but... thank you. They're really pretty. The flowers, I mean."

"Right."

"And you. You're very pretty, too, Gladiolus Amicitia," Naja said with a grin.

"Aww, thanks, sweetheart," Gladio said teasingly.

Naja looked a little surprised at the term of endearment, though she didn't comment on it.

"What do you want to talk about next?" Gladio asked. "We got like," he glanced at the clock on the dash. "Ten minutes before we get there."

"How long did this take to finish? I haven't seen the whole thing yet but I assume it goes down your back. And then there's that bit on your chest. And the wings of course." She trailed a hand over the parts of the tattoo on his arm.

"It's an eagle," he said. "Amicitia tradition says you gotta get a tattoo of an eagle when you turn twenty-one."

"And you had to get the biggest one, huh?"

"Hey, go big or go home, right?"

"Sure, sure," Naja acquiesced. "I bet it hurt a lot."

"Like a son of a bitch," Gladio nodded. "Took about maybe a hundred twenty hours on that chair."

"Ouch."

"Yeah, well. It was worth it, I think."

"I have to see it first before I agree," Naja said almost innocently.

"Do you, now?"

"Mm hmm." Naja looked at him sideways, then winked.

"Hold that thought," Gladio said. He made a turn into the Old Business District, which has since been dubbed as Insomnia's unofficial Historic District. "We're here."

"Oh Six," Naja's voice was breathless.

Gladio stopped by a black-and-gold gate, rolled down his window, and pressed a button on the intercom. "Jared, it's me."

Jared's voice crackled from the speaker as the gates slid open. "Of course Master Gladiolus. Lord Amicitia is waiting for you and the Lady Ulric."

"Lady... what?" Naja looked paler than usual, even with the help of her admittedly minimal makeup.

Gladio laughed and clapped a hand over Naja's. "Jared's just messin' with you. Don't worry."

"He just called me Lady Ulric!"

"It's his odd way of teasing," Gladio reassured her. He drove down the short path that led the ancestral home of the Amicitias.

"Here we are." Gladio went to open Naja's door and held a hand out for her.

"Oh sweet Shiva have mercy," Naja whispered.

Gladio took Naja's face into both his hands and brought their foreheads together. "It'll be fine," he murmured to her. He kissed the tip of her nose before letting go.

"Now come on," Gladio led Naja with a hand on the small of her back.

Naja walked forward, comforted by the warmth behind her.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I wanted the next chapter to be the dinner with the Amicitias, but I just can't get these scenes out of my head so I went ahead and wrote an interlude. 
> 
> Please do tell me what you think of the story so far, and leave a kudos or a comment if you enjoyed it. Cheers!
> 
> (You can also find me lurking about in [Tumblr](https://raidelle.tumblr.com/).)


	12. Chapter 12

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Naja has dinner with the Amicitias. Plus a taste of dessert.

"So, Miss Ulric," Clarus began the moment he lifted his spoon to sample the soup. "How did you and my son meet? I'm afraid he didn't elaborate when he told me there was a woman he'd met who eventually became a woman he was seeing."

"Please, sir, call me Naja. No one's ever called me 'Miss Ulric' before. Or 'Lady Ulric' for that matter," Naja said, hoping she didn't sound presumptuous. "I've only ever been 'Naja' or 'Glaive Ulric' or 'Captain Ulric' and those last two are --"

Gladio placed a hand on her knee and squeezed lightly. Naja stopped mid-sentence and reeled herself in. She cleared her throat and tried again. "We met the first night I came back from my last tour, actually. I was at the gym, just um... burning off some pent-up energy. And then he approached me and asked if I wanted to spar." Naja left out the part where she'd basically punched him in the throat.

"And then you beat up Gladdy, right?" Iris chimed in, with a rather malicious grin.

"I wouldn't say beat up. But I--" Naja said.

"Yeah, she did." Gladio shrugged. The Amicitia heir turned to his father, who was eyeing Naja with curiosity. "Remember when I told you I got a few minor injuries from the gym?"

"Mm," Clarus nodded. "You said you over-exerted yourself."

"Yeah, well," Gladio motioned his head sideways toward Naja. "That was all her. Sneaky little thing."

"Hey, watch who you're calling little!" Naja complained and Gladio stole a quick kiss to her cheek.

Clarus coughed into his soup. "And from there, Gladiolus, you decided you wanted to get beat up by Naja more often?"

"She had me at first punch," Gladio grinned.

"And has my son ever given you reason to do him grievous harm, Naja?" Clarus asked and the former Glaive captain stared.

"Sir?"

"Please call me Clarus."

"Yes, sir," Naja caught herself and walked her words back. "I mean, Clarus, sir. And no, at least not yet. Gladio's been nothing but wonderful. You raised him well."

"I am happy to hear that," Clarus said, blue eyes twinkling. "Though I do give you free rein to teach him a lesson if he ever does anything that warrants it."

"Way to build me up, Dad," Gladio grumbled while Iris cackled in the background.

"No need to worry on that end, sir. I'm sure I can handle your son just fine," Naja said. Then she blushed as red as her blouse when she realized how her words sounded. Iris laughed even louder.

“Oh I’m sure,” Clarus said with a sly smile.

Iris, thankfully, came to her rescue. "Hey, Naja, I just remembered. Are you still looking for speakers for the new classes?"

Clarus and Gladio looked at Naja in interest, while Naja shot Iris a grateful look as she answered the question. "Yes, actually. I still need one for positive masculinity and standing up against bullies."

"Speakers?" Gladio's eyebrows knitted, a little confused but keen.

Naja turned to his boyfriend, her eyes bright. "I thought about making the program more well-rounded," she said. "It's good to offer physical self-defense but wouldn't it be nice if we can also drill down the important societal aspects? I talked to Lib and Pelna and they're all for it. I just have those two topics left without a resource person."

Gladio's proud grin grew by the second, while Clarus nodded his appreciation. Iris was beaming. "I was thinking that maybe Uncle Cor can handle those two topics," she said. "Uncle Cor would definitely yes to something like this, right, Daddy?"

"I'm sure he would," Clarus said.

"Wait. Cor as in Chief Cor Leonis of the Insomnian Guard?" Naja's eyes widened slightly.

"The very same. Would you like me to put in a word for you, Naja?"

Naja looked at Gladio as if in confirmation of his father's offer. She only got another light squeeze to her knee in response. _Go for it_ , that warm touch seemed to say.

"I'd be honored, sir, thank you."

"Please call me Clarus," the older man repeated.

"Yes, sir." Naja nodded then winced. "I mean Clarus, sir."

Clarus laughed heartily.

*****

Two hours later, Gladio and Naja had retreated to the second floor balcony for coffee and extra helpings of dessert that Jared had carefully and artfully piled onto a rolling cart.

"That went pretty well, right? I mean I didn't make an ass of myself or anything?" Naja asked, absently stirring some cream into her coffee.

"Well, except for that one bit about handling me," Gladio chuckled and Naja groaned. "I'd say you were freakin' fantastic. Never seen Dad take a liking to any of my former girlfriends that fast."

"Really?"

"Really," Gladio nodded. He stood up and circled around the table to stand behind Naja's chair, then planted a kiss on her head. "He'll probably disown me if I break up with you and then adopt you just to spite me."

"Gladio!"

"'M serious," he said as he placed his arms around Naja's shoulders in as much of an embrace as her chair would allow. "He used to just nod and ask polite questions. Now he's offering favors?" Gladio shook his head. "Trust me. Dad likes you."

Naja blew out a breath. "That's good to know. At least there weren't any questions about my time with the Glaives."

"Well, I might have asked him and Iris not to ask you." Gladio admitted.

Naja's hands flew up to grab Gladio's arms. She looked up at him in wonder. "You did?"

"Hey, if you're not willing to talk about it with me or heck, even Nyx, then you wouldn't be willing to talk about it with Dad, would you?" Gladio shrugged.

"Thank you." Naja breathed. She lifted his hands and gave each a kiss.

"No biggie." Gladio said simply, as if anyone would have done the same.

Naja kissed his hands again and Gladio smiled at her softly in understanding.

Iris peeked in at that moment and grinned at the scene they made. "Hey lovebirds. Daddy's in his office talking business. He says to drop in and say good night before you leave."

"Sure," Gladio said. "You staying here?"

"Yup. No need to drop in and say good night to me, though."

"That's Iris speak for 'You better let me know when you're leaving so I can give you a hug or I will not speak to you for a week.'" Gladio told Naja, who huffed a small, breathy laugh.

Iris blew a raspberry at her brother. Then she composed herself and turned to Naja. "It was really nice to have you here Naja. Maybe we can go grab some lunch soon, just us girls."

"Of course," Naja said.

"Awesome!" Iris cheered. "Anyways, I'll let you two get back to the lovey dovey stuff. Good night!"

"Lovey dovey stuff?" Naja arched an eyebrow.

"Maybe more of the kissing but not on my hands this time?" Gladio’s voice has taken on a decidedly sultry timbre.

Naja stood up then, coffee all but forgotten, and led him toward the banisters. She used the side of one of the pillars to propel herself to sit on the ledge. "Come on, then."

Gladio obeyed, settling himself in the space between Naja's legs. "Bossy," he said with a little tut.

Instead of replying, Naja pulled on the lapels of Gladio's sport coat and planted a fierce, insistent kiss on his lips.

Gladio, pleasantly surprised, brought his hands to cradle Naja's face. It felt glorious, this kiss, Gladio thought. Almost immediately, Naja's tongue traced the seam of his lips and he groaned. He transferred one hand to Naja's back and tugged her impossibly closer, before he opened his mouth to deepen the kiss.

Naja's hands, meanwhile, had wrapped around Gladio's shoulders as he pulled her lower lip into his mouth and gave it a long, spine-tingling suck. She was clinging to him, even as she took the lead back from him and plumbed his mouth. She moaned as Gladio's tongue flicked at her palate, the kiss turning as amorous as it was inelegant as the seconds ticked by.

Finally, they broke apart for need of air. Gladio slipped his hand to the back of Naja's head and, like earlier that evening, pressed his forehead against hers. "You're amazing," he said. Then he shifted his head slightly to nuzzle just behind her ear.

Naja's toes curled as Gladio's beard scratched at the delicate skin. She breathed in deep and closed her eyes to savor the sensations coursing through her. It felt odd to think about a kiss this way, but Gladio tasted like the morning after a storm. Everything felt and looked crystal clear -- even if her head was spinning at the moment. She'd bottle up the feeling if she could.

"So are you," she finally managed to say back.

Gladio lifted his head to look at her, the honey of his eyes carrying different kind of warmth now. Slow-burning and relentless. "Let me take you home," he said, voice low.

"Dessert?” she asked. Her eyes dropped to Gladio’s lips, then flicked back up to his eyes.

“I hope you’re not talking about the cakes,” Gladio all but growled at her and tugged her back in for a short, fiery kiss.

Naja chased Gladio’s lips as he pulled away, desperate for more. “No,” she breathed. “Not at all.”

She leaped down from her perch on the balcony and though she didn’t need any assistance, Gladio caught her in his arms nonetheless.

Then she took his hand and led the way.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'm not quite satisfied with this chapter, but like the interlude, I just can't get the scene out of my head. So I decided to post this anyway. I dub this chapter "Well, THAT Escalated Quickly."
> 
> Also, I can't believe how difficult it was for me to write that kiss! I don't know how romance writers do it all the time.
> 
> Please leave a kudos and/or a comment if you enjoyed this chapter, and the rest of the work. :)
> 
> You can also find me lurking about in [Tumblr](https://raidelle.tumblr.com/)!


	13. Chapter 13

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Please note the change in rating. :)
> 
> I've been reworking this chapter for quite some time now; it feels wrong somehow, but I can't figure out what it is. This is the final edit that I've made and the most satisfied I'll ever be (I think) with this chapter. I hope you enjoy reading this as much as I had fun writing it, even if it was a bit of a challenge.
> 
> As always, kindly leave a kudos or a comment if you enjoyed this work.

The door to Naja's apartment had barely closed behind them when Naja pulled Gladio towards her with a force that he found strangely, terribly attractive. She kissed him boldly, artlessly, more teeth and tongue than lips. He had to bend more than usual to reach her, but damn it all to the high heavens if he was going to stop just because of the weird angle.

Naja pushed at the sleeves of his sport coat and Gladio obliged by taking the garment off, even as she removed her own coat. It was difficult to keep their lips connected as they shed their jackets; their teeth clacked together twice and they nearly stumbled on each others’ feet, but they managed to prolong the kiss through their sloppy motions with a little maneuvering and a lot of breathy laughter.

Naja then jumped on Gladio, literally, and wrapped her legs around his waist. Gladio gave an mild grunt in surprise, but his arms went unerringly under her thighs to hold her steady. She kicked her shoes off as she crossed her feet and settled them on the small of his back. Then she snaked her hands from his pectorals and up to his neck, until her fingers could card through his hair. "You might snap your back, old man," she breathed into his mouth. Gladio could hear the smile in her voice.

"Not my fault you're so little," he murmured against her lips before capturing them again in a searing kiss.

A giddy laugh bubbled from Naja's throat. "Makes you feel big, huh?" She deliberately moved her hips in a slow roll up and forward then back down again, making Gladio groan.

Naja laughed again, and Gladio didn’t know how she made it sound both giddy and sultry. "You know where the bedroom is," she said, then moved to place an open-mouthed kiss just behind his ear. She nipped at the skin there and sucked, drawing another groan from the man beneath her. 

It took Gladio only a few strides to get to the bedroom; his desire had made him impatient and in his rush, he couldn't stop in time. Naja's back and head landed against the door with a loud thump. "Shit, sorry," he mumbled.

He was afraid he’d killed the mood but another giddy laugh escaped from Naja’s lips. She nipped on his earlobe in response and he hissed, fumbling the door knob.

Gladio got the door to open on the second try, then closed it again with a kick. Then he released Naja from his arms and she slid down with cat-like grace, rubbing in all the right places. Gladio let out a hiss of pleasure.

Naja walked backwards, pulling Gladio along, until the back of her legs hit the bed. Then she sat down and Gladio automatically stepped into the space between her parted legs.

This time, Naja was unhurried in her actions. Gladio could actually see her hands quiver as she untucked his shirt from his pants, unbuttoning it from the bottom up, with a carefulness that had to be tightly controlled.

Once enough of his torso was revealed, she parted the panels of his shirt and looped her arms around him, pressing her forehead to his abs. She breathed him in deep, reveling in the woodsy smell of his cologne and an earthy musk that she’d associated with stability. With Gladio.

When she let out a long exhale, Gladio detected the slightest tremble in her breath. Ignoring his steadily building arousal for the moment (he can be a fucking saint for Naja Ulric, to be honest), he placed a finger on her chin and tilted her head up with tenderness.

“What’s wrong, sweetheart?” He had to fight back a moan when she gazed at him with those blue-gray eyes, her desire all but tangible.

"I've... I've never done this before," she admitted.

Gladio reeled. He was searching for something eloquent to say, but all he came up with was a hoarse "What?"

"Not that way. I just mean that I haven't been able to take things slow before. Everything was always rushed because of..." She cleared her throat and averted her eyes. “I really shouldn’t be talking about spending time with other people at a time like this,” she shook her head ruefully.

Gladio smiled. Astrals, this woman is something else. “We can take things as slow as you want,” he said, trailing the back of his finger up and back down her cheek. “We can stop now if you like.”

“No,” Naja breathed. She looked back up at him, her gaze fervent. “No, I want to... I want you, Gladio, it’s just that I --”

Gladio dropped to his knees, surprising Naja into silence. “If you’ll allow me,” he said, cradling her face with both hands now, “I can show you what it’s like to savor each moment. To really take your time with someone you lo--”

A shrill ringing from Gladio’s phone made him stop, his eyes shifting from liquid honey to frozen amber.

“What’s wrong?” Naja said, repeating Gladio’s earlier words.

He stood up and plucked his phone from his pocket in one fluid motion. “That’s the fire alarm at Bottled Dreams. I set it up to ring my phone when it gets triggered,” he said tersely. He quickly punched a number and the person on the other end picked up almost immediately. “What happened?”

Naja left Gladio in the bedroom to gather their coats and wear her shoes again. When Gladio stepped out to join her, his shirt was already buttoned up though it was still untucked. His eyes were hard, determined, but Naja also thought he looked rather lost.

She handed him his sport coat. “Do you want me to go with you?”

“Please,” he said and his voice broke.

“Of course.”

Wordlessly, Naja held out her hand and Gladio, bless his heart, placed the keys to his truck on her palm. Then he threaded their fingers together and held tight.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Say hello to me on [Tumblr](https://raidelle.tumblr.com)! :)


	14. Chapter 14

"Naja? Is that you?"

The voice seemed to come from far away, echoing as if it passed through a long tunnel before it reached Naja where she stood.

She was looking at the blackened facade of Bottled Dreams. The large frosted glass wall etched with the name of the gastropub was surprisingly intact; the damage was the worst in the kitchen and cellar, which shared a wall with the next-door bar where the fire began.

Fortunately, Gladio had installed an advanced fire alarm and sprinkler system that kicked in almost immediately when the temperature reached the threshold. Unfortunately, there was simply an abundance of fuel, what with the cluster of restaurants in the block, so the fire encroached other properties quickly enough. The beer kegs in the Bottled Dreams cellar had also burst, and the alcohol caused the blaze to burn hotter and faster.

"Naja," the voice said again. It wasn't Gladio, Naja was sure of it. He was by the fire engine, deep in discussion with the other business owners, Chief Cor Leonis of the Insomnian Guard, and Captain Petra Fortis of the Fire Company.

But the timbre of it sounded familiar. It reminded Naja of other broken, burned-down structures that either became their temporary hideouts when they got caught out in the field at night, in the middle of an op, or bomb-filled traps that exploded in a burst of dust, stone, and shrapnel that dug deep into flesh.

Naja's hand unconsciously went to the left side of her stomach, where a starburst scar had been left behind by such a blast.

"Are you okay? Naja?"

She turned toward the voice and was surprised to meet the eyes of Tredd Furia, one of the lieutenants from the Glaives' third unit.

"What are you doing here?" She took in the khaki uniform with neon-and-silver reflector strips, the ash in his hair, and the soot on his face. "I thought you said you were cycling back for another tour."

Tredd shrugged. "Nah, I didn't think it was worth it, all things considered. I actually went home a couple of weeks after you did."

"And then you joined the Fire Company? How's that so different from the bomb squad?" Naja shook her head. There was a buzzing in her ears that doesn't seem to want to fade.

Tredd shrugged again. "Not very much, actually. But at least I don't have to defuse IEDs every single time I head out," he said and his voice held a tinge of sorrow and self-deprecating humor.

"I guess that's all that matters, huh?" Naja gave Tredd a quick yet penetrating glance before bringing her eyes forward to look at Bottled Dreams once more.

"I guess," Tredd said in agreement although he looked unsure. "What are you doing here anyway?"

They'd arrived some time before ten, with the fire still blazing. Gladio had stared blankly at the flames licking at the walls of Bottled Dreams, his eyes molten pools of gold. Looking at the devastation felt like a punch in the gut to Naja; she supposed it was infinitely worse for Gladio, who poured his whole self into this venture.

It took considerable effort to pull herself from her musings and answer Tredd. "I came here with --"

"Naja?"

Gladio's voice was a mix of weariness and suspicion. His eyes were mellow when he looked at Naja, but they hardened instantly when they fell upon Tredd.

"Gladio, baby," Naja said, letting the term of endearment slip in as smoothly as she could. For both their sakes. "Did you get to do everything that needed to be done?"

A warm hand enveloped hers in thanks. "Yeah. I told Luna and Aranea to go home and catch some sleep. They could deal with the questions from the authorities tomorrow. I'm going with them."

"Did you call your family?" Gladio was dead silent during the drive over, and Naja didn't want to be the one to break the news to Iris or Clarus.

"Yeah. I'll see them tomorrow after the meeting with Cor." He was looking at Naja with an intensity that she was slowly getting used to: a burning gaze that made her feel, cliched though it was, like she were the only person in the world.

"All right then," Naja said softly.

Gladio leaned in to kiss Naja's cheek before turning to Tredd. "Thanks for your help, sir." His eyes glinted with a simmering fire.

"Not at all," Tredd seemed a little taken aback with the abrupt greeting and the brusque words of gratitude. "Tredd Furia. I used to work with Naja and the Glaives, but, well, I'm here now."

"Gladiolus Amicitia," the larger man replied, shaking Tredd's proferred hand. The other tightened its grip on Naja's hand ever so slightly, and she noted Gladio's use of his full name.

"Nice to meet you, even though the circumstances are less than ideal," Tredd smiled a little, just a quick upturn of lips, in an attempt at pleasantry.

Gladio just nodded. "Ready to go?" He turned to Naja.

"Of course."

"See you around, Naja," Tredd raised a hand in farewell.

"Take care, Tredd."

*****

Naja drove them back to Gladio's, the silence in the truck broken only by the occasional beeping of Gladio's phone. Messages from friends, most probably, who are still up at this hour and have already heard the news.

"I'll see you tomorrow?" Naja said tentatively as she turned off the engine.

"No," Gladio rumbled. He turned his head toward her, so slowly as if he were in a fog. "No, don't leave. Stay with me."

"Are you sure?"

"Please."

"Okay."

Gladio took the lead once they've exited his car, only because it was Naja's first time to actually step into the building. Naja hazarded a guess that their places would have switched if she knew her way in; Gladio was in that halfway space between knowing what to do and where to go but unable to do what was needed.

Naja finally released the breath she didn't know she was holding when Gladio closed the door to his apartment. She had barely removed her coat when Gladio surged from behind and enveloped her in a hug.

"I'm sorry," Gladio murmured into her nape, then gave it a kiss.

Naja gently traced the tattoos beneath her fingers. "What are you apologizing for?"

"For being a jealous jerk," Gladio replied. "I wasn't very nice to your friend."

Naja laughed. "I thought you were being a primitive idiot," she said, borrowing Ignis's words from what seemed like forever ago.

"I'm sorry," Gladio repeated. "It's just --"

"Don't worry about it. I think you've earned the right to be a little cranky for a while," Naja replied. Then she twisted in Gladio's arms to face him; she placed her hands on his cheeks and kissed his mouth. "It's actually kind of sweet that you got jealous, but you have no reason to be okay?"

When Gladio's response was to bury his face in the juncture between her shoulder and neck, Naja pushed him away slightly. "I think I like it when you get clingy like this, but your back will probably complain tomorrow if you continue to bend like that."

"Don't care." Gladio said, nuzzling at her neck even more insistently.

"Yes, you do. Come on, you need at least a couple of hours of sleep." Naja tugged on his arm. "Where's your bedroom?"

"First door on the right." Gladio said, still trying to keep Naja locked in his arms even as she led the way.

Naja glanced at the floor-to-ceiling windows in the living area that afforded a view of the Insomnian cityscape. She would have loved to enjoy a drink or two with Gladio here, just to enjoy each other's company.

But not tonight.

"Go get a shower,” Naja said the moment they entered the bedroom. “You don't want to go to bed smelling like smoke, trust me." She shooed Gladio toward the en-suite bathroom.

"Speaking from experience?" Gladio said absently, rummaging in the bottom drawer of a two-layer bureau at the foot of his bed.

"Hmm. Worked with the Glaive's bomb squad for maybe half a tour before I gave it up," Naja said.

"Six _fucking damn it_! I'm sorry Naja, I --"

"It's okay, baby," Naja said, smiling sincerely. "Are those for me?" She gestured to the T-shirt and shorts that Gladio was now holding.

"Yeah. Iris has a few of her things here for when she stays over," Gladio said. "I hope they fit."

"You know what," Naja said, taking Iris's clothes and returning them to the drawer. "I think I could make do with one of your shirts." She hoped it would be as comforting to Gladio as it would be for her.

"Yeah, okay. Sure." Gladio said after a few failed attempts at speaking.

"Go take a shower. I'll wait."

*****

Gladio emerged from the bathroom ten minutes later wearing just a pair of gray sweatpants; a towel was slung around his neck. Naja would have loved to study the complete tattoo but she averted her eyes, not out of a sense of propriety but of a romantic notion.

"All yours," Gladio jerked his thumb toward the still-foggy bathroom. "I already put a fresh towel on the rack and an extra toothbrush in the glass by the sink. I'll get a shirt ready for you."

"Thank you." Unable to resist, Naja kissed the corner of Gladio's mouth before stepping into the bathroom.

It took her quite some time to finish; it was oddly ritualistic, washing off all the traces of the fire from her body. She had not allowed herself this luxury during her time with the Glaives -- enough time to wash the grime off her body completely. She had felt as if she needed the reminder for whatever they had done during a mission.

But the ash and soot from tonight? She just had to remove everything. She did not need anything to remind her. Nor did Gladio. Especially not Gladio.

"I thought you'd have slept already," Naja said apologetically as she stepped back into Gladio's room twenty minutes later. "Sorry I took a while. I forgot what a bitch it is to get soot out of your hair."

"Wanted to say good night," Gladio said. He was already on the bed, though still on top of the sheets. He gave her a cursory glance that lingered somewhere in the vicinity of her collarbones before throwing a small bundle toward her. "Catch," he said rather belatedly.

Naja caught the bundled shirt with quick hands; she stepped back inside the bathroom for a few moments to put the shirt on and replace the towel on the rack.

"You look good." Gladio smiled at her as she made her way to him on the bed. The faded black-and-gold CCU homecoming T-shirt fell halfway to her thighs and past her elbows. His smile would have probably taken on a naughtier edge if he were so inclined, but as it is, he was exhausted.

"You're biased," Naja said as she slid under the covers. "Now sleep. You're going to need it."

"Maybe," Gladio acquiesced, rocking the bed as he settled himself under the sheets, too. He leaned over to give her a tender, lingering kiss. "Thank you for staying with me," he whispered.

"Of course."

Naja took Gladio's hand in hers and kissed it. Then she closed her eyes, falling easily into a dreamless sleep with her hands still clutching Gladio's.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Finally, I got this chapter just the way I like it. My apologies for taking so long. Thank you to all who are still sticking around and giving this story a chance. :)
> 
> Come say hi to me on [Tumblr](https://raidelle.tumblr.com/)!


	15. Interlude II

It seemed fitting that, after almost a whole day of attending to Bottled Dreams and all the necessary affairs, a light dusting of snow would fall.

In a way, it reminded Gladio to calm down and helped smother the fire roiling in his gut.

Iris was inconsolable. “You worked so hard for it, Gladdy,” she’d cried into his chest. He had driven over to the estate that morning for breakfast, more for the emotional support than anything, and he'd barely cleared the front door when Iris tackled him into a fierce, tearful hug.

His father had been right behind, offering a smile and a rare kiss to the forehead. Gladio had become taller than his father since he turned sixteen, but today, with that gruff, warm press of lips, Gladio felt like a little boy. He wanted desperately to climb onto his father’s lap and have a good cry.

“Where’s Naja?” Iris asked, voice trembling.

“At work,” Gladio said, smoothing Iris’s hair and kissing the top of her head. “I’ll go see her later. I just wanted a kiss and a hug from you first.”

“Was she with you last night?”

“Yeah, she stayed over.” Gladio said gently.

Iris nodded. "That must have been nice," she said. Then she burrowed her face into Gladio's torso.

"Yeah," Gladio replied. "Yeah, it was nice." The beginnings of a smile bloomed on his lips as he remembered the feeling of waking up next to Naja. The sight of her -- hair mussed and legs freed from the blankets she had kicked away in the middle of the night in favor of tangling her limbs with Gladio's for warmth -- was more than nice. It was glorious. It made him forget for a little while.

When Iris looked up at him, there was a knowing albeit slightly watery grin on her face. "This is nice too, Mooglet," Gladio said, heading off the witty comment that she was sure to make about him being a big sap.

After breakfast, Gladio drove off to meet with Luna and Aranea to discuss their next steps, especially since their personnel will temporarily be out of jobs until Bottled Dreams reopened. Cor also wanted to talk to the two women to fill in some of the details; all for documentation, the chief had assured Gladio. Still, Gladio had wanted to be there to offer support and to know more about what happened. He just felt like he had to, the better to wrap his mind around it.

Then it was off to the insurance company, where he spent a grueling two hours, and then a series of phone calls to various contractors and suppliers, capped off with late lunch that Gladio barely tasted.

When he finally made it Cross Chain that afternoon, Naja already had her duffel bag slung on her shoulder.

"Hi," Naja greeted him with a kiss to his cheek. "How are things?"

Gladio shrugged. "As well as can be expected. Ardyn Izunia actually gave me a call and said he'll see what he can do, whatever that means. So there's that."

Naja just looked at him with those steely blue eyes.

Gladio squirmed and cleared his throat. “I’m okay.” When Naja looked unconvinced, he added, “I swear.”

With a tiny nod as if she'd just won an internal debate, Naja put her bag on the floor and grabbed Gladio’s hand.

"Come on," she said, pulling Gladio toward the training mats. "I think you need this."

She grabbed a pair of punch mitts and put them on. Then she held up her hands and raised her eyebrows in invitation.

Gladio was staring at her, eyes blank and tired. “Naja, I’m not...”

“Come on.”

“Please, Naja, let’s just --”

Naja leveled him a look that spoke of challenge, but also of compassion and understanding. And before Gladio knew what he was doing, he was striking his hands into the leather.

“You can do better than that.”

Naja’s calm tone seemed to fuel Gladio’s pent-up rage, and soon, he was landing frantic punch after frantic punch. Naja absorbed each blow skillfully; if she noticed Gladio’s red-rimmed eyes, she didn’t comment on them.

Finally, Gladio’s punches slowed and he collapsed in a crumpled heap on the mats. Naja removed the mitts and sat beside Gladio, lifting his head to rest on her lap.

“It’s okay, let it all out. It’s okay, baby,” she said, running her hands through his sweat-soaked hair.

As if all he was waiting for was Naja’s permission, Gladio broke down. Big, angry sobs that had been raring to escape since the fire happened finally clawed their way out of his chest. The salt of his tears combined with his sweat, and his nose was running, but Gladio didn’t care about the blubbering mess he was.

Naja waited patiently, combing Gladio’s hair away from his face, murmuring to him in Galahdian. Gladio didn’t understand a word, but it calmed him nonetheless until finally, his sobs slowed and quieted and he was able to catch his breath.

“Sorry,” Gladio rumbled after a long while.

"It’s okay, baby.”

A single tear rolled down Naja’s cheek as Gladio curled up tighter into her lap.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> [Say hello to me on Tumblr!](https://raidelle.tumblr.com/) :)


	16. Chapter 16

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Gladio and Naja spend a quiet afternoon together, after everything that's happened.

All told, it took four months to get Bottled Dreams up and running smoothly again. It didn’t hurt that Ardyn Izunia -- who gave Bottled Dreams four out of five for his previous visit -- wrote a follow-up article the day before the reopening, which helped draw a bigger crowd.

On opening day, Ignis and Coctura commandeered the dessert ovens from Aranea who, to Gladio’s surprise, did not argue one bit.

“But Ebony --” Gladio began, but Ignis cut him off.

“We’re closed today,” his best friend said. Coctura merely gave Gladio a wink.

Aranea gave his back a little push. “Move along, big guy. Kitchen’s our turf and we gotta get cooking,” she said and Gladio had no choice but to leave the kitchen to their capable hands.

Nyx raised a hand in greeting, just as Gladio exited the kitchen. “Let me guess. They threw you out.”

“Guess that’s what I get for trying to meddle,” Gladio shrugged then snorted. “As if I’m actually going to involve myself in the cooking. I’m just here for the beer.”

Nyx laughed at that. “C’mon then, let’s go get those beers chilling.”

“Thanks for doing this, man,” Gladio blurted. “You didn’t have to lose business today for my sake.”

Nyx gave threw a quick but sincere glance over his shoulder. “You’re welcome. It was my sister’s idea, but Iggy and I were all for it.”

Gladio’s eyes softened for a while and Nyx snorted. “Gods, you’re worse than she is. Just remember what I said about not messing it up, yeah?”

“Of course,” Gladio said, looking offended that Nyx would even think about “messing it up.”

Nyx held Gladio’s gaze for a few more seconds before nodding to himself, as if he’d won an internal debate.

Gladio laughed softly and shook his head. No, he won’t mess this up. Not if he could help it. Naja Ulric was… well, she was a dream come to life.

Let Iris call him all variations of sappy, but that was the honest to goodness truth.

*****

Bottled Dreams opened at lunch to a full house. Even Noctis and President Caelum dropped by for a late lunch, much to his delighted surprise. When Naja arrived with his sister and his father in tow, Gladio had to put them on the waitlist.

“Don’t worry about it, son. I’m certain the lovely Miss Nox Fleuret will keep us well taken care of while we wait,” said Clarus, offering his arm to Luna as she led them to a small waiting area.

“Of course, sir.” Luna smiled, eyes twinkling in delight. “Go be a good host, Gladio.”

Gladio dropped a kiss on Iris’s cheeks and Naja’s lips before rushing off. “See you later?”

“You bet,” Naja said. Then she swatted Gladio’s butt. “Now go! We’ll survive without you for a while.”

Both Iris and Clarus laughed at the exchange. When Naja finally settled between them, Clarus said with sincerity, “You’ve been good for him, Naja.”

Naja smiled in return, inclining her head in a respectful bow. Iris grinned and said in playful drawl. “So when’s the wedding?”

*****

When the lunch crowd finally thinned, Gladio lowered himself heavily on the remaining seat at his family’s table. He groaned then pressed his forehead onto the table, so that his voice had a strange echo when he asked, “Remind me again why I do this?”

“Because you, and I quote, have a double major in business and beer,” Clarus said in a deceptively innocent tone, sipping from a cup of tea.

Iris laughed. “Because you own the freaking place, duh.” She ruffled her brother’s hair, whose head was still planted on the table.

When Naja didn’t answer, Gladio turned his head to shoot her a pleading look. “They’re bullying me, sweetheart.”

“Well, you brought it upon yourself,” Naja nodded sagely.

“Thanks for your support,” Gladio frowned at her and she laughed.

Naja took one of Gladio’s hands and “You wouldn’t have it any other way, baby. You love it.”

Gladio’s hand tightened in hers. “Yeah. Love you, too, Naj.”

“Ugh.” Iris threw a napkin at her brother. “You’re so in love, it’s disgusting. Go be somewhere else.”

“Can’t, Mooglet,” Gladio replied, finally lifting his head from the table. “Busy day today.”

“Haven’t you done enough hosting for today?” Clarus asked, looking at his watch. “It’s nearly four, Gladio. You ought to take a break.”

“We still have the dinner rush to get through in a couple of hours,” Gladio sighed. He rubbed his palms on his jeans and stood up.

“Let me handle it,” Naja said. “Stay there.”

“What?” Gladio looked utterly bewildered.

He saw Naja weaving across tables, toward Nyx and Prompto who were bussing tables. (Gladio really had to make it up to Iggy for pulling out all the stops to help him today.) She talked with them for a while, then poked her head into the kitchen for a bit -- it seemed like she was in a discussion with Aranea -- before finally making her way back to their table.

“What did you do?” Gladio asked suspiciously.

“Took care of it,” she shrugged. “C’mon, let’s go home.” Naja held out one hand, then placed the other on her cocked hip in an impatient yet playful gesture.

Gladio looked torn. “But I can’t --”

“Yes, you can, and yes, you will. Come on,” Naja wheedled, wiggling the fingers of her outstretched hand.

Iris pushed his arm. “Go on, Gladdy. Take a break. You deserve it.”

When Gladio looked at his father, Clarus simply smiled and nodded. Outnumbered and unwilling to argue, Gladio took Naja’s hand and stood up. He pulled her toward him for a very thorough kiss, making her blush and his family sputter.

“Now we can go.”

*****

They went back to Gladio’s place, considering that it was closer and that was where Naja spent most of the week anyway. Her things had slowly made it into the apartment, a shirt here and a pair of shoes there, until they finally noticed that she was staying more frequently with Gladio than at her own place. There was now a red and a green toothbrush in the bathroom cabinet, and an assortment of women’s bath products in the shower caddy.

They haven’t discussed a more permanent arrangement yet. Naja still had the lease going for her own place, after all, and moving in? Well, it was a conversation for another day.

For now, there was a quiet afternoon that was begging to spent in each other’s company.

Gladio pulled Naja into his arms, her back to his chest, and bent to kiss the top of her head. “Thank you,” he said, voice low and warm.

She leaned back comfortably, holding on to the arms that banded under her chest. “You’re welcome. Always.”

They stayed in the embrace for a long while, staring out of the entire wall of windows in the living room. In the distance, they could make out the Entertainment District where Bottled Dreams is currently bustling with activity, their friends and family making sure that they could enjoy this moment.

“So what do you want to do? We have the rest of the day for ourselves,” Naja said softly, tilting her head up at Gladio.

Gladio just tightened his embrace. “This is nice. Kinda want to stay like this for a bit.”

“Well, let’s sit down at least. Your back will thank you for it later,” Naja laughed as she led Gladio toward the sofa.

“Not my fault you’re tiny,” Gladio said, though he followed Naja all the same and settled on the sofa. He patted the space beside him before placing that arm along the backrest.

Naja sat down and pulled her legs up. “Everyone’s tiny when compared to you,” she said.

A laugh bubbled from Gladio’s chest and Naja felt it rumble through her. It was an oddly comforting sensation. “I guess,” Gladio said with a shrug. “Still not my fault.” He winked at her, then kissed her temple.

Naja twisted from her seat. “You’re a bit generous with the kisses today, aren’t you?” she teased.

“Hmm,” Gladio hummed as he kissed her hair again. “I’m just happy.”

“I’m happy you’re happy.” Naja looked up at Gladio and found herself, once again, breathless at the warm amber gaze.

Gladio pulled her up and onto his lap and took her face in both his hands. “I love you, Naja Ulric. So much.” If he could bottle this feeling, he would. It was a heady combination of adoration and respect and love, and Gladio wanted to indulge whenever he could.

Naja’s answering smile was brilliant. “Love you, too. Now come kiss me properly.”

“Yes ma’am.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> It's finally done! Thank you for sticking around and giving this fic of mine a chance. The concept came to me when I was 15 and I wanted to publish it for another fandom (Gundam Wing) but I got cold feet. Fast forward 15 years later and here it is. It's admittedly not my best work, published or not, but this will always hold a special place in my heart.
> 
> Thank you for reading! Let me know what you think by dropping a comment or sending me a message on Tumblr! [I'm raidelle there too.](http://raidelle.tumblr.com)
> 
> Much love! <3
> 
> P.S. I will probably add an epilogue just to get some scenes out of my head, but by and large, this is the "end" of the story. :)


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